No Way Out
by drops of jelly
Summary: A serial killing of professionals, especially doctors and lawyers, it drove Edgeworth nuts. Worse, Franziska, full of pride and determination decides to put a stop to this and vanishes in the process. He won't rest until he finds her- alive. MilesxFran
1. First Truth

This will be the second long fanfiction I will write for the Miles/Fran pairing. I really do adore this pairing, the first I have come to adore in fact in my course of playing the GyakuSai games. I thank very much the audience who have read and reviewed my previous stories, My Best Friend's Wedding and A Sweet, Fleeting Romance. I hope that I will receive as much reviews in this story.

-drops of jelly

Standard Disclaimer Applies

Prologue:

"_... Are you still up for this, Franziska?" he panted, huffing and puffing as they went on._

"_I should be the one to ask you that, Miles Edgeworth..." she had a rather hard time speaking, from where she was positioned. He was carrying her on her back._

"_I'm... I'm still fine. I can go on, but you're hurt." He breathed._

"_Drat... I know. I'm such an utterly foolishly foolish, useless foolhardy fool." She displayed such frustration, not noticing she had been hitting his back for quite some time._

"_Ugghh..." Edgeworth swivelled carelessly aside, almost hitting a tree nearby._

"_Ahh!!" Franziska braced herself, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, and trying to hang onto his back with her legs, and her injured ankle._

_In a split second, Miles Edgeworth realized that they were about to fall, he got his body to act against his will, being able to stand up straight once more._

"_You fool... You're burning." She felt his hot neck as she had held onto him tighter, then touched his forehead, almost covering his eyes._

"_H-hey, I can't see Franziska!" he was starting to fall again._

"_Put me down Miles Edgeworth." She said as calmly as possible. She was trying to contain her frustration-covered guilt, and doing a bad job of doing it._

"_No, I can still go on. Trust me this once." He muttered._

"_If I trust you this once, we will both die." Her voice accelerated._

_He put her down, frustrated, letting a soft grumble escape his lips._

_He seated her and himself onto the grass in the forest they were in._

"_You know if we idled around like this we wouldn't win." He wearily stared at her._

"_If we went on like that, we would lose even more." She was serious, yet annoyed as well. Both of them were weak, she admitted. She had to get a foot injury, while her little brother had to have a temperature of slightly above 39 degrees._

"_Miles Edgeworth, we made a pact with each other before this battle didn't we?" she pulled his head closer by his hair and bumped her head softly onto his hot forehead._

"_Yes, I suppose we did." He said discreetly, careful of not contaminating her with his hot breath._

"_Then act seriously from now on. You should know better what is best to do now." Her words were as sharp as how her whip would slash._

O-o-O

High Prosecutor's Office

June 4 8:45 pm

"I'm telling you the truth Edgeworth! You have to believe me. In all my thirty four years of living, I could never have been more serious about anything." Phoenix Wright's face grew grim from the news he had just told his friend.

"That kind of thing you are telling me is simply impossible Wright. I never believed in secret societies or dark operations defying law like that, daring us to challenge them!" he denied it, swivelling his chair aside to the window's view.

"I only discovered this happening because of a couple I used to know. It's all true, I swear it on my new badge." Phoenix gripped his red tie nervously.

"..." Edgeworth eyed him for a moment, then he recalled that Phoenix had the talent for the impossible.

"Let's get this straight; you say that you saw a couple of doctors who were kidnapped in front of your apartment. You followed the van they shoved the couple in. You saw men in white suits and guided the doctors into the pure white building and followed them to the entrance. Somehow you went on unnoticed, then you lost sight of them after they were forced into an elevator." Edgeworth began to summarize Phoenix's unbelievable tale.

"The next day, when you passed by the area on your way to work, you saw the police gathered around the area, and you saw the two corpses of those doctors?"

"Yes." Phoenix nodded.

"Now, you expect me to believe that this is the work of a maniac crime syndicate network, headed by a maniac mastermind?

"Those doctors weren't the only victims, aren't I right?" Phoenix asserted his point further.

"I can't deny that. Other professional couples were also murdered the same way." Edgeworth sighed.

"It's all too much of a coincidence! Five murder cases, the same murder method, similar types of victims! There's too much of an obvious connection between all this. Do you still deny what I'm saying?" Phoenix said.

"He's not lying, Miles Edgeworth." Franziska entered in her usual fashionable manner.

"You as well?" Edgeworth's face grew more surprised.

"You and I both handled at least one of those murder cases this fool has been talking about. I have seen and heard enough to believe it, I'm afraid." Her face grew serious as she approached his desk.

"In the middle of it all, someone else is being accused of all this too. I know this person is innocent, and I have been asked to be her defence." Phoenix Wright smiled.

"... Apparently I'm not in charge of this recent case." Edgeworth commented.

"Neither am I. We both have just returned from Germany." Franziska remarked after.

"I'm going to investigate then." Phoenix smiled confidently.

"You fool! Weren't you just yapping how dangerous those people are?" Franziska snapped her whip at him.

"Agh, but there's no other way to find out isn't there?!" he flinched.

"You can't be serious, Wright." Edgeworth turned to him.

"I have to wrap this up. I can't have them target any more people. Only God knows who could be the next victim! It could be my daughter, or Apollo!" he grew stronger thinking of his kids.

"Then leave the investigation to the police. Ema and Gumshoe are on their toes for this case all the time. You have to be there for Trucy and Apollo." Edgeworth spoke wisely as usual.

"..." Phoenix sighed with frustration. One wrong move and he could lose his family.

"Fine. I'll leave it to them. I'll do my own investigation, discreetly." He said sadly.

"For once you are making a better choice Phoenix Wright." Franziska smiled, playfully twirling a strand of her hair.

"I'll be off ahead then Edgeworth, Franziska." He smiled weakly and closed the door.

The two prosecutors heaved a sigh, and looked at each other with concern in their eyes. They couldn't wipe that matter off their mind.

_A serial killing of professionals? Kidnapped? It was insane._

Edgeworth's mind and heart started to race. Any of his friends could be the next target. But, he knew Phoenix Wright could get by somehow. He had incredible luck and he was a grown man. He had confidence of being prepared in case he met with any kind of this incident, but he lacked confidence with Franziska. Yes, she is a fierce whip-wielding woman, but still, she is a woman.

"You will have to stay in my house tonight then." He suddenly blurted out without thought.

She suddenly turned to him with a rather surprised face.

He just realized the weight of his words. She must be laughing at him in the inside now.

"If you are that afraid, then fine, I will not leave you alone. I shall satisfy your cowardly needs and diminish those foolish childish fantasies of yours." She grinned.

"S-Say what you want, you're staying over." He turned away.

"You still hadn't changed a bit... No, you've grown more like your foolish kind." She laughed.

He stood up and dragged her by the wrist, on impulse. She walked hesitantly with him.

They looked rather funny, but to her, being pulled around like this again gave her a sense of nostalgia back when she was still nineteen, eight years ago.

Now, she's twenty-seven, getting to feel how it is to be a real grown-up, as Miles Edgeworth did back then. She questioned still, why he still got to drag her around back then.

Maybe she is still a child after all... But she didn't mind, not knowing exactly why. Maybe it was comfortable? Maybe it made her feel that she belonged? Maybe it made her feel loved, since none of her family was left to be there for her.

He opened the passenger door of his car and walked over to the driver's side.

"You won't need to bring anything tonight right?" he asked her.

"We'll have to drop by my house for my clothes if you want me to stay over."

"Fine. We'll drop by." He started the engine.

O-o-O

They drove along in medium speed.

_How could this all be happening? These murders could actually involve each other..._

He was worried, and he could settle down. He looked over at her, and noticed her bewildered state as well. She acted composed but she had her own share of insecurities as well.

Maybe staying over with him tonight could give her a night's rest.

He pulled over at her garage, then got out after shutting off the engine.

She unlocked the front door with her keys, then searched the dark room for the wall with the liht switches.

Edgeworth stood close to her the whole time. He had a bad feeling about this night.

"We have to hurry." He muttered.

"Relax Miles Edgeworth. We are rational professional beings. Chances of any of us being targeted next is 0.10 percent." She sighed annoyingly.

"I'm not being nervous for nothing. We really should pick up the pace." He climbed the stairs and went ahead to her room.

She followed and came inside. Her room was unlocked so Edgeworth went ahead and opened her bag cabinet and pulled out one of her bags so casually, as if he knew her room entirely.

He zipped it open and started to pack her back for her. He was nervous and unknowingly began to place her clothes inside.

"You're acting extra odd today Miles Edgeworth. I won't let this slide." She began to help him pack her things by preparing her girl needs and slipping them into the bag.

Not long after, he zipped it close and carried it casually.

"Let's go back." His paranoia worsened and he held her closer and walked down the stairs with her.

They went back inside the car and drove to his house.

Little did they know what would be waiting for them when they would arrive soon after.

**to be continued...**


	2. First Lie

I apologize for a little late updates, school is almost starting for me, and I have a few preparations to make. Thank you very much for understanding, but I promised myself that I would definitely finish this story!

Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you drop a review as well.

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Second Turnabout**

"Are you sure you're okay, Miles Edgeworth?" Franziska looked worried and nervous seeing him tensed while driving.

"I-I-I think I'll be f-fine once we get home." He stammered.

"Pull over and switch with me." She volunteered.

"No, I'm fine Franziska. Trust me." He insisted.

They parked outside the front and went out to the side of the house after hearing faint sounds, but they found something too unexpected.

"Daddy…" the child of magic was sobbing softly, clutching Phoenix Wright's blue blazer, stained with blood at the side.

"What's going on here?" Franziska ran over with Edgeworth who was struck speechless.

"H-he… He was captured… I couldn't stop them…" Apollo Justice stammered, looking a little dazed. He was growing weak at the shock of it all.

"Who's 'them'? What did you see?" Franziska grabbed his collar.

"I-I-I don't know… There was blood, I smelled it. He got wounded, and everything grew dark! I couldn't do anything!" he began to grow unbearably weak, starting to shed a tear or two.

"How… How did you escape Trucy?" Edgeworth began to speak again, after calming himself down.

"Daddy… he pushed me and Polly into the bushes and told us not to say a word. I thought everything was just a game… He told Polly and me that we were going to surprise you when you arrived, Mr. Edgeworth." She cried, hiccuping on every line.

"He knew what was going to happen… and he didn't say a word earlier?! What was he thinking?! That foolishly foolish fool!" Franziska cried, banging her fist onto the wall nearby.

"No… He said something about having to go to your house suddenly. I don't know what came into him, maybe he decided on something on his way back to the offices." Apollo began.

"He… just discovered it on his way back, and decided to meet up with us before this incident would happen? Why didn't he call us?" Edgeworth questioned with guilt.

"Maybe… Mr. Wright didn't want to worry you." Apollo explained.

"Agh! And he got himself injured and kidnapped for that?!" Franziska was almost at the end of her wits. She became annoyed at the fact that she too was worried about him.

"Hello? Yes, Gumshoe… Wright has gone missing. I can't tell you the details yet, but we need a search team after him quickly. He was just abducted now and left no clues, but I know the culprits aren't far from the vicinity yet. Now, we're at my house." Edgeworth began to phone the police.

"I can't believe this… What's going on?" Apollo wiped the tears from his face as he regained composure.

"Maybe… this is connected to the incident recently…" Franziska muttered what she thought, but unknowingly it was audible enough for Apollo to hear. He turned to her.

"What incident?" he inquired.

"Nothing… You both need to get inside and calm down." She led them into the house.

She led them into the living room, turning on all the lights and lighting the fire place.

She went outside to join Miles after.

"… No, please don't spread this. This must NOT leak to the press you hear me?" she heard him huffing the words out.

"Get inside Miles Edgeworth, you will catch a cold." She tapped his shoulder.

He hung up the phone and heaved a stressed sigh.

"Looks like I'm not getting any sleep tonight." He smirked at her half-heartedly.

"He won't die easily, that man. He was stunned by my father, dealt with a professional assassin on a kidnapping, survived a fall from a burning bridge and the cold he caught resulting from that fall, got hit by a speeding car and thrown thirty feet away and even regained his glory after being falsely accused of perjury and falsifying evidence!" she thought of ways to comfort him, quite adorably in fact.

He looked at her for a long time, and pat her head.

"What are you doing, I'm not a child anymore." She pouted.

"You're still the same as always, no matter how much you grow." He sighed.

"WHAT?"

"You have to stay with Apollo and Trucy." He held her shoulders tight.

"And you, Miles Edgeworth?" she glared at him.

"I'm going to be back soon. I just have to know where he is and get him back."

"You know I won't let you go alone!" she barked.

"You have to watch over them." He prompted.

"I can ask Ms. Skye or Adrian to do that for me."

"NO." he cried, frightening her a little and leaving her speechless.

"I… I can't… I can't lose you too. If I make a mistake and lose you… I won't take it… I'll go crazy… I'll…" his grip on her shoulders tightened.

Oh how she wanted to embrace him.

"Calm down Miles Edgeworth. Get a grip on yourself… As you Americans would say." She smiled a little at him.

"Promise me you won't leave me…" he gave her an equally serious look.

"I won't."

"Promise me that you'll stay alive…" he couldn't help but tell her the words he intended to say to her in that lifetime but couldn't until then.

"Of course… you fool." She scoffed.

"Then, Miles Edgeworth… Promise me the same things too."

"I suppose it's fair." He smiled.

"I'll return tomorrow for sure." He placed his hands down, releasing her shoulders.

"Gut." She smirked, saying that German word.

He got inside his car and revved the engine.

"What about dinner?" she knocked on his window.

"I'll have some when I get to the precinct." He looked straight.

"Be careful." He turned once more to her.

"I should be telling you that, fool." She frowned angrily.

He sped away after a few seconds.

She entered the quiet house and found Trucy and Apollo next to each other fighting the sleep away.

"You're both tired. Have you eaten dinner?" she asked hesitantly. She guessed that they might not have the appetite to eat just after that incident.

"I ate something before returning to the offices." Apollo politely replied.

"I'm not hungry…" Trucy was too gloomy to say much. She was still holding on to Phoenix's blazer.

"You both should rest now. It's ten in the evening and you must be both fatigued." Franziska advised them.

"Is it alright for both of us to stay over?" Apollo asked.

"You MUST stay over. No matter what you both have to stick together with me. Miles Edgeworth is scouring the entire city with a search party as we speak and he insisted that we stay together." She replied, taking deep breaths.

"Thank you, Miss von Karma." He thanked her on behalf of himself and Trucy who was still in shock.

Franziska led the two into Miles' guest room on the second floor. She lent Trucy some of her extra clothes which Edgeworth had packed in subconsciously- he packed in too much, and she gave Apollo some of Edgeworth's clothes when he was younger.

"Try your best to sleep well. We're going to find Phoenix Wright." Franziska stroke little Trucy's hair, trying to make an effort to comfort her.

Trucy sniffled and nodded.

"Will you let me hold on to this then?" Franziska motioned her eyes towards Phoenix's bloodstained blazer.

Trucy obediently handed it to her and laid down on the bed.

Franziska decided to use Miles' room while he was out. He only had one guest room in his house and she didn't want to sleep in the living room nor entertainment room. She switched on the dim-toned lights and opened the dark curtains on his large full-length window to shed in some moonlight. She placed her back on a small counter and opened it.

She took some of her things and got inside the bathroom for a warm bath.

She was restless the whole time. She was worried about what could have happened. She had to know…

She put on her ¾ lengthed ruffled, white pajamas and her ruffled night blouse to match, and jumped on to his well-made bed naturally.

She tried to fall asleep, but just couldn't…

After an hour of failed attempts of trying to catch forty winks, she gave up and examined Phoenix Wright's bloody blazer which was placed atop a chair.

The blood on it wasn't too much. The wound wasn't deep for sure. From the hold the knife produced, she determined that he was hit on his side on the lower part of his upper body, but it wasn't too deep a wound.

Still, this made her decide to examine the crime scene. She put on her thick black coat and climbed down the stairs. She put on some warm shoes and stepped outside, to the side of the house where the incident happened.

She examined the whole area carefully and found the bushes where Trucy and Apollo must have been hiding in. The bushes were a good distance from the area where Phoenix had a struggle with the assailants, so if any of the two were to accidentally pop their heads out or fall from the bushes, the criminals wouldn't notice.

Nothing was changed in the scene except for when she and Edgeworth came and left a number of footprints.

She examined the area more carefully and found footprints that she suspected which belonged to Apollo Justice- the prints smaller than Phoenix Wright's. She saw that the prints were scattered. Apollo Justice didn't heed Phoenix Wright's order and decided to help Phoenix Wright after hearing sound of struggle between him and the assailants.

_According to Apollo Justice's testimony, stating that everything went dark after he smelled blood, he must have gotten out of the bushes and tried to fight the men hurting Phoenix Wright, but his efforts were to no avail and luckily he was simply hit and not abducted._

_Phoenix Wright must have needed two men to restrain him, so they had to leave Apollo Justice alone. They must have been in a hurry since they must have seen Miles Edgeworth's car approaching. He did have the bright headlines on his car that time._ She recalled.

She found the precise area where Phoenix Wright had been stabbed. There was a minimal amount of fresh blood on the ground near a window of Edgeworth's house.

She was starting to get an idea of what happened around there. She immediately searched his blazer for any other clues. She found a little memo.

How could this exist? When did he write this?

_They planned it all at the Borscht Bowl Club. They targeted you. Sorry it had to be like this, but I'll make you catch these criminals once and for all._

_This was intended for Miles Edgeworth_… she placed the memo in her pocket angrily.

She stormed back into the house and picked up her cellphone to call someone.

"_Hello?... Miss von Karma, we haven't found Mr. Wright yet._" Ema's alarmed voice spoke through the phone.

"I need a favor, and don't let anyone, especially Miles Edgeworth know or see you." She began.

"_What can I do to help?_" Ema asked.

"You must be occupied with the search too, am I wrong?" she asked sternly.

"_I am in fact, but_…" Ema spoke, until somebody grabbed the phone from her.

"_Wenn sie nachforschen werden, habe ich einen ersatz für Fräulein Skye_…" Klavier spoke nonchalantly but fondly on the phone.

"Ich benötige jemand, Apollo und Trucy aufzupassen. Ich forsche, ja nach." Franziska responded.

"So sind die Gerüchte, das ist zutreffend, warum Herr Edgeworth Sie nicht uns verbinden ließ…" Klavier commented, realizing the rumors of the serial killings were true and Edgeworth proved that by not letting Franziska join the investigation.

"What the heck did you say?!" Ema blushed, forgetting that she placed her phone on loudspeaker.

Klavier said nothing but let out a playful smirk.

"Sigh… better than nothing. Alright, he said he'll cover for you. I need you to come over and watch Apollo and Trucy since I have some work to do myself. Come to Miles Edgeworth's house now." She instructed Ema.

"_Yes, Miss von Karma_!" she was surprised then Franziska hung up. It seemed she was in a hurry.

Franziska hurriedly changed her clothes and put on that same coat. She brought along with her Phoenix's blazer and his memo. She didn't want any clues left behind when Miles Edgeworth comes home and decides to come after her. She had to do this herself and she didn't want him to stop her, not now that she had discovered so much.

She took a cab to the first place she could inquire him about- The Borscht Bowl Club.

O-o-O

The next morning, as he promised, he returned to his house. From the frustrated look on his face, no sign of Phoenix Wright has still been found.

He entered the house to find Ema Skye making breakfast.

"Good morning Mister Edgeworth." She politely *bowed to greet him.

(a/n: Japanese reference)

"………No… Tell me she didn't leave!" he started to panic.

"She told me it was important no matter what lately, and Prosecutor Gavin insisted I'd stay here as well." She tried to explain before Miles would throw a fit.

"Did she tell you where she would go?"

"No… And I think she didn't tell anyone else too. I'm really sorry, but why didn't you let her join the investigation, Mr. Edgeworth?" she asked.

"… It's the same reason why Prosecutor Gavin made you come here too." He looked at her, worried.

"Mister Edgeworth… Could it be about the Professional Serial Killings?" she asked in horror. It was going to be her second time involved in a serial killing case. One terrified her half to death enough. She couldn't take a second involvement.

"I'm afraid it might. I haven't found any decisive clues yet… Apollo Justice's testimony was quite vague, but I can tell you… That Phoenix Wright is wounded for sure." He told her.

"It happened here, right Mr. Edgeworth?" Ema looked at him seriously.

"Yes, and I pleaded that no investigation should be made for the meantime. I intend to have Phoenix Wright back to explain everything before we touch anything." He replied.

"Sorry, Mister Edgeworth, but I believe that if we try to investigate now, we may find a clue to his whereabouts." Ema traced a small smile on her lips.

"… Then, maybe we ought to give it a try." His face had a little smile on it too since he knew this was Ema's expertise.

They both went out of the crime scene and searched for clues. They have found the footprints, and had them identified.

Edgeworth had found out the same things as Franziska deducted… He found the bushes, and deducted the same about Apollo Justice's actions, and his failed attempt according to his testimony. They had also found the little amount of blood on the ground with the spray of luminol. It made the stain clearer. Ema created floor plans for notation purposes.

Edgeworth thought there was more to this bloodstain than what meets the eye, but this suspiscion was something he couldn't point his finger at.

*beep beep beep*

It was a text message. Miles Edgeworth casually checked his phone. It must be an update on the search.

It was a picture of a man with green-colored shades and white suit with his back leaned against the same window of Edgeworth's house where the incident happened!

WHITE SUIT!

_Men in white suits! They captured those doctors I tell you!_

He recalled Phoenix Wright's recent tale.

To make matters worse, on that picture, he saw a reflection of its photographer.

The photographer knew that taking a picture in front of glass will cause a little reflection and have this reflection captured along. The photographer of that picture was on the picture itself!

That alone pulled the trigger.

Miles Edgeworth had established the connection between the Professional Serial Killings and Phoenix Wright's incident.

He scrolled down the message.

He saw pictures of the place Phoenix Wright was held captive in. He scrolled down to see if there was more to the text message.

_I've infiltrated their base and I intend to see this through the end. You won't need to come after me unless I say so. Trust me on this._

"Wright, you idiot!" he screamed in anger.

"Mister Edgeworth?! What happened?" Ema was startled and ran to his side.

Edgeworth furiously tapped the keys of his phone trying to send a reply.

_I'm going after you, you idiot. You've done the most reckless thing in your life. And by the way, God forbid, if Franziska is there or captured with you, please notify me ASAP._

He pressed the send button and waited a few seconds.

"Ema, I need you to search for this place. Wright is held captive there. I'm going in after him." Edgeworth forwarded Phoenix's text message to Ema.

Ema opened the mail as soon as she received it.

"Got it. I'll search for this place through a network. Shall I call the rest of the team?" Ema asked.

"No. Bringing in the police will worsen his situation. We're dealing with a crime faction here, we have to be a little extra careful until we've caught them in a trap in a firm grip." Edgeworth got inside his car.

"Mister Edgeworth! Do you even have any idea where you're going to head to?" Ema pleaded him to think it over.

"I'm running out of time… And I have to find Franziska… Who knows what could have happened to her…" he was anguished and clearly blaming himself. Sometimes he could really be a stubborn fool.

As he drove past the highway of the city, unknown of his true destination, he tried to contact Franziska on her cellphone.

She's not picking up… Aghhhh! Curses…

*beep beep beep*

Edgeworth frantically opened the text message.

_This is bad. I can't see her from where I am. I'm locked in a heavily sealed room, but I can hear her struggling with the ropes tying her up. I was lucky enough to untie myself and find my phone, but I can't talk to her or my cover might be blown and I can't save us both. You have to help her at least. Pretend you don't know me once you get there, and don't let them see you._

It was a rather vague instruction. Edgeworth couldn't find a sufficient reason why Phoenix Wright would choose to endanger himself. Where does he get all that confidence? Is he even afraid of his own circumstances? What is he really doing this all for?

Even if there were too many unanswered questions for now, Edgeworth decided to trust in him, and do what he needs to do most: Find Franziska and take her back- **alive.**

*beep beep beep*

"Hello, it's Edgeworth." He answered the call.

"_Mister Edgeworth! I found the place you inquired about!_" Ema told him the news swiftly.

"Great, now we're getting somewhere!" he exclaimed.

As Ema Skye explained to him the address and the directions, Miles Edgeworth sped through the highway like a mad man.

**to be continued**

I hope I'll be able to find time to update this soon, but just so you know, I WON'T give up on this! Thank you very much!

-drops of jelly


	3. First Assurance

It took a while, but here it is. The next one might take a while too, but I won't give up!

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Third Turnabout**

This time, the victim had been taken to a dusty old warehouse.

Miles Edgeworth arrived at the scene at 6 pm. He turned on his voice recorder function on his phone as a precaution. He carefully and noiselessly waltzed in the warehouse and looked for any signs or traces of Phoenix Wright.

Ema directed me here, but I see no signs of him… Am I in the wrong place? He thought as he started to walk around the empty place.

It was a high building, with high walls and huge crates and boxes stacked around, but one exit door stood out. He slowly neared it until he heard a sudden sound.

_Crash!_

He heard the sound of something that had just fallen and broken into pieces. He presumed it was china. He hurriedly approached a wall from where he heard the sound from.

He felt his phone vibrate.

_Franziska's in the next room, if you heard the sound I just made, tap the wall from where you heard it from._

He immediately did as he was told. He made an audible yet discreet tap on that same wall.

After a minute his phone vibrated once more.

_From where I am, she is in the room adjacent to mine to the right. As to how I was taken here, they tied me up and covered my eyes, but I suspect that they took me to this room by a secret passageway and elevator. As to the secret passageway, I can only think of one place considering all of the observations I made- The Borscht Bowl Club. The memo in my blazer, my suspicions were right all along._

Judging from the location indicated by Phoenix, Edgeworth tapped the other side of the wall where he suspected would be Franziska's wall.

Franziska, in the room, still tied together, mouth and eyes covered, terrified to her bones reacted to that tap.

She was tied to a chair, shaking her whole body until she fell onto the floor with the chair still tied to her. She frantically wormed nearer to the source of that faint sound she heard.

"…It's me. You've got to listen to me and do everything I say no matter what." Miles Edgeworth hissed, hoping the walls did have ears and that Franziska heard him.

"Mmmmf!" she responded discreetly.

"Answer my questions with yes or no, er I mean, Ah or Ummm."

"Ah." She replied.

"Find anything in the room to untie yourself with. Try to get up and untie those ropes. When the signal comes, you have at most two minutes to get out of your room and run to the nearest staircase."

She searched the room for a sharp edge and began to make an effort to have it cut through the ropes, rolling to that area- of course not without hurting herself.

_The blackout should happen right about now…_ Edgeworth instructed a certain hacker to hijack the area's settings.

_*JAN*_

The lights all flashed off. Of course it caused quite a stir- luckily the doors were electronically operated, so the sudden power outage unlocked all the doors.

Franziska took advantage of this moment. She untied herself successfully and struggled out of her trap. She frantically dashed out of the room, tears streaming from her face.

_I knew you would come for me… you fool._ But she smiled.

Miles Edgeworth's lips trembled as he sighed, waiting for her to get out into on exit he found earlier. He knew causing a blackout would put all of them, even himself in the most vulnerable position and worst case scenario. But, he had to take a chance with that blackout. Luckily, Ema Skye didn't just explain to him the directions, but also the nature of the building. Edgeworth was given that idea of having a professional hacker help him.

It was completely dark. He was scared, all alone in one corner, hidden, desperately praying to be kept hidden, and begging that Franziska would bust out of the door he found.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The next minute, he felt a tight grasp, restraining his limbs, and a handkerchief of diethyl ether covering his nose and mouth.

He couldn't recall the moment he had lost consciousness.

O-o-O

_No… No… Nooooooooooooooooooooo!_

_It can't end like this! Wright… Franziska!_

_Am I just going to die like this? Isn't it… a bit unfair, even for a sinner like me?_

He couldn't' tell where he was, and he was worried sick of what could have happened to Franziska, whom he had sent to escape on her own. He was nervous of what could have become of Phoenix Wright as well, though he knew Phoenix Wright had not an intention to escape.

He needed to know if Franziska was able to escape, or hide from those criminals.

He needed to know if she was alive.

*Plunge* *Splash*

Miles Edgeworth was suddenly awakened by the impact of being thrown into the water. He quickly flashed open his grey eyes and darted them around. It was a swimming pool, with yellow lights illuminating the floor. He tried to squirm to swim, but found out that his hands were tied together and his left foot was chained onto a weighted ball that was heavy enough to sink him lower. He estimated the pool to be about 7.5 feet deep.

Knowing his strength was depleting, he took his chances and exerted his best effort to spring to the surface and grab the edge of the pool.

He was fortunate enough to reach the surface, and with adrenaline rushing throughout his body, he swung the ball and chain tied to his feet onto the cemented surface as well.

He gasped for breath, not knowing what was going on, but desperate to live. He untied himself by running the rope several times on a sharp edge of a fence. He thought the trouble was over. He was about to be thrown into a watery grave, but survived somehow.

He then, remembered Franziska when he saw a familiar figure being sunken into the same pool on the opposite side over that same fence. Several bubbles started to surface from that spot.

He panicked and jumped over the fence. He didn't care about the ball and chain restraining him; he carried those with him as he ran.

Very much luckily, as he ran, his shoe was shaken off and his foot came loose off the cuff that chained him to the weighted ball.

He frantically jumped into the pool to her rescue, hoping it wasn't too late to save that person.

O-o-O

As he had feared,

It was Franziska von Karma who was drowning on that opposite side of that 7.5 foot pool.

Miles Edgeworth continued to gasp for air. He was scared to the end of his wits, and fatigued from being dragged down the water and ground by a weighted ball almost heavier than he was. He had recovered her drowning body, now unconscious, and laid her on the side of the pool.

First of all, he was terrified of her situation. He didn't know where they were and his phone wasn't on him. He couldn't call for help and leave her alone for even just a minute!

He performed a standard CPR measure on her, a couple of abdominal thrusts rapidly with fear in his eyes. He laid her on her side waiting for a few seconds groaning and swearing out of frustration. His hands trembled, tilting her head upward. He pinched her nose and gave her two quick breaths through her mouth; then again, he tried to clear her airway, and laid her onto her side.

He was so scared of losing her. He didn't care about his surroundings. He just wanted her to live.

He suddenly heard her cough out a lot of water and groan in pain. He immediately turned to her with the dumbest and most vulnerable look on his face.

"Miles Edgeworth…" she muttered, tears starting to stream off her face. She didn't have the strength to present him with the usual stubborn, rebellious look.

He untied the rope on her and took her foot with the cuff to the same kind of ball and chain on it.

"They were going to drown you too… These men lack creativity." He tried his best to calm her and himself down with another of his famous sarcastic remarks.

As soon as Franziska shook her hands untied, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, sobbing softly onto his chest.

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, they didn't care anymore. They were glad to just be alive. He returned her embrace with a tighter, more masculine one.

"I thought I lost you." He blurted this line.

"I… I'm such a useless woman… So weak… So foolish… If only I was stronger… More perfect…" she sobbed.

"Being perfect won't get us off the hook or anywhere for this matter." He replied.

Her body was still numb from the ether she inhaled. She couldn't quite remember the recent events lately, but she remembered being drugged.

"They drugged you too…" he asked her.

"I think so…" she pulled away but sat not too far from him and hugged her legs, still cuffed onto the ball and chain.

"Do you have a hairpin on you?" he asked, remembering he had experience in picking locks.

(A/n: Reference to Miyako Chinatsu-san's fic xD)

"I think I do…" she slipped one off her pearl blue hair.

He took her right foot with the cuff and located the keyhole. He inserted her hairpin's slim end and started to pick the lock.

*click*

The cuff slipped off her ankle like a charm, however revealing a violet spot on it. She had been injured.

"Your ankle… it's broken." He nudged the area softly with his thumb.

"Ouch! Cease that at once Miles Edgeworth!" she exclaimed, which cheered him up a little and made him give her a naughty smirk.

"It looks like I'm going to have to find us where we are…" He looked around, seeing nothing but the huge pool and a dimly-lit one-story building at the top of a cement staircase that peeked out of a hill that led to where they are.

"!..." he suspected it to be a normal citizen's residence.

The corpses of the serial killings were usually found in the suburbs, or at an office building, like how Wright found the most recent victims. This was so that the blame of the murders would be the owner of the area- precisely like Phoenix Wright's client.

The next targets, presumably them were drowned in the residence of another innocent citizen.

"There's a house over there. We can ask for some help. We can also contact the police." Edgeworth motioned his eyes over to that house.

"Finally…" she sighed full of worry.

The wind was furiously blowing, and it was a terribly cold night. Edgeworth's clothes were dripping wet, and Franziska's weren't any drier either.

Still, he picked her up, scooping his hand under her knees, lifting her upper body, seating her bottom onto his thigh, then lifted her upper body along with her legs into a sweetheart's carry.

He held her closer to catch her warmth and to give away some of his in that cold night. He climbed the stairs slowly, suffering the resulted fatigue of his body after that sudden adrenaline rush.

When he finally reached the summit of the hill, he almost faltered, when he tried to prevent himself from doing that. He continued walking up to the front door.

He pressed the doorbell, sighing with relief. Franziska looked at him with an expression of thanks… slightly blushing.

"… Oh good heavens! What happened to the two of you! You're both soaking wet! How can I help you?" a late middle-aged woman answered them.

"She's injured. We both encountered a dangerous criminal and almost got drowned in your pool. We both survived miraculously. We need help immediately." He respectfully explained their situation.

"Oh, you poor things! Please come in and warm yourselves by the fire. I'll have a room and a change of clothes prepared for you both." She kindly led them in.

"Thank you very much, Madam." Franziska bowed her head a little in respect.

"Thank goodness… Somehow we got out of it all." He sighed to her, then pat her head after putting her down on the soft carpet by the fire.

**to be continued**

O-o-O

Whew! I'd love it if you'd drop a review! Thank you very much!

-drops of jelly


	4. First Doubt

Thank you very much for reviewing guys! I'm still able to continue this because of you! Here's the next chapter, sorry it's a little late, and the next one might come a little late too. :(

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Fourth Turnabout**

Criminal Affairs Department

June 5 11:00 pm

"… There is still no news about Herr Wright, Herr Edgeworth or Fraulein von Karma?" Prosecutor Gavin stepped in front of Detective Ema Skye's table with a cup of mocha espresso.

"No… Honestly… I have a bad feeling about this… Mr. Edgeworth hadn't sent a message in hours! I tried to trace his phone by GPS but his position didn't change. He ordered me to not pursue him, and even asked me to trust in him… So I thought I'd give him until morning, and I'll just be on standby." She reported to him, while doing her work on the computer.

"You came from Herr Edgeworth's house right? How are Herr Forehead and the little Fraulein doing?" he sipped some of his own coffee.

"Well, Trucy's starting to talk again, little by little. I'm not worried if Apollo's with her." Ema smiled softly.

"Then, how about you? You're barely able to hold yourself together. Today's taken a lot of energy out of you- searching around LA, babysitting two kids, carrying out 'scientific investigations', assisting Herr Edgeworth… the list goes on Fraulein Skye." He rolled his eyes from his cup towards her.

"Today's taken a lot of energy from everyone… What I'm doing is nothing compared to Mr. Wright or Mr. Edgeworth… I really do want to be able to help more… I feel so discouraged of myself…" she whined.

"Don't be. You're doing a good job." He cheered her up with a bag of snackoos.

"No… I…"

"You don't need to do any more." His face grew serious.

"… Alright then…" she accepted the bag and popped it open.

Miles Edgeworth's House

June 5 11:00 pm

"Trucy… What are we going to do if…" Apollo sat next to her on the bed.

She looked at him with such sad eyes.

"Nothing. Don't think about it. Mr. Wright will be back soon for sure." He gave her a comforting smile.

"Daddy's always got a trick up his sleeve… He surprises me a lot, like a real magician. I'll wait for him… No matter how painful it is…" Trucy's fists trembled, settled atop her legs covered by the white sheets of the bed.

*beep beep beep*

"Ah, sorry. Go to sleep now Trucy. I'll just be outside." Apollo stood up after placing the covers on top of her body.

He went out of the room to open a text message he had just received.

_I found the mastermind, and now he's gone, but don't tell anyone._

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!" Apollo screamed at Phoenix Wright's newest message.

"Polly, what's wrong?!" Trucy leaped off her bed and opened the door to see what was going on.

"OHH… uh, I was trying out my new chords of steel training technique… I missed a day of training." He lied sheepishly.

"… Keep it down." She giggled and closed the door.

Apollo had no idea what was going on anymore. What mastermind? Yes, he was kidnapped, but why a mastermind?

_Mr. Wright, what's going on? What mastermind? Where are you now? I'll come over with Detective Gumshoe! Even Mr. Edgeworth and Ms. von Karma didn't return until now. What's going on?_

He sent that one message. He waited for a long time, he didn't get a reply anymore.

Apollo couldn't sit around there anymore, but he couldn't leave Trucy either. As of now, he knew these facts:

Mr. Wright had been kidnapped and is still missing.

Mr. Edgeworth and Ms. von Karma have been missing since yesterday and haven't heard any news about any of them.

Ema Skye was with them earlier in the day but was more touchy and suspicious than usual.

The text message he received was no ordinary one, and he needed to dig in deeper.

He made a call to Prosecutor Gavin, who he knew could do something about the current situation.

"_Herr Forehead, rare for you to call. Is there something wrong_?" Klavier responded calmly, but sternly.

"It's really important, please ask Ema to help me."

"_Firstly, why not ask her yourself_?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"She definitely won't listen to me."

"_Secondly, you think she would let me ask her a personal favor so casually_?" he laughed.

"Please… It's Mr. Wright… And only I can do this." His voice grew serious.

"………"

"_What should I do then, Herr Forehead_?"

"You're honestly the last person I would ask, but you're honestly also the only person I can ask for now. Please watch over Trucy, and I need to see Ema."

"………"

"_I'll_ _be there with Fraulein Skye in fifteen minutes_."

"Thank you." He sighed with relief after hanging up.

O-o-O

Ema was still working on the computer, transferring the data she had found out, sealing it off in her exclusive file manager on the LA Police case archives. She was waiting for the progress bar to fill up.

Then, suddenly, Prosecutor Gavin pulled her by the wrist and briskly walked through the office, dragging her.

"H—h-hey!! Klavier!! What's the deal? Let me go!" she cried.

"Let's go on a trip, Fraulein Skye." He naughtily smirked at her.

"WHAT?! I have no time for all this nonsense! You know how busy we all are don't you? We can't tolerate this foolishly foolish nonsense! And great, now I'm starting to talk like Ms. von Karma who I terribly need to get in touch with… and!..." she kept bickering at him frustratingly as he took them down the building and got her on his 'hog', which she called his 'deathride'.

Apparently she had been too busy whining that she didn't know she was already placing on her helmet.

She was brought back down to earth when she felt the wind suddenly whipping past her hair and made her scream. Klavier just chuckled to himself then.

O-o-O

Klavier helped Ema down the hog and they walked up to the front door together.

Apollo opened the door when they were about to press the doorbell. Apparently, he had been waiting in the living room, looking through the big, double-story windows.

"Thanks for coming here." Apollo greeted them both and looked at Klavier after.

"I'll go see the Little Fraulein." He made his way up the stairs.

"What's going on?..." Ema glared at Apollo.

"We need to talk." Apollo showed a serious face.

"We have nothing to talk about now." Ema averted her gaze.

"I need information about this case."

"It's top secret, junior. It's better if you don't know too." She started to munch on another bag of snackoos.

Where does she pack all those bags? He thought, shaking his head.

"Listen, it's really important. I know you've already gotten in touch with Mr. Wright."

Ema gasped, surprised as to why Mr. Wright chose to involve Apollo in this case too.

It would have been better to keep him safe in the dark.

"H-how can you say that… How would you know?" she munched on her snackoos faster.

*vibrate*

I knew it… I wasn't just making assumptions… My bracelet's reacting. He thought, then gave it a touch.

"Your nervous habit has given you away Ms. Skye. You twitched on the word 'know'." He began to perceive the truth, as he usually does.

"Insane… What proof do you have that I'm unsure of what I have been saying?" she looked more serious.

He opened his inbox and showed a recent notification by Mr. Wright, but he didn't open the content of the message.

_Take that!_

"………..!" she stared at the phone screen for quite some time.

"I can't show the contents to you though. I'm sorry. I was instructed not to, and it's really important. Only I can do this for Mr. Wright now, after Mr. Edgeworth and Ms. von Karma have vanished." He said.

"Do what?" Ema asked.

"… Find the truth." His eyes glowed with confidence, but not exactly excitement either.

"… Alright then." She sighed.

They entered the office in Miles Edgeworth's house. Ema accessed the Police Archives and got hold of the data she got so far.

She converted Phoenix's mail into a webpage and recorded some additional data into it.

"He was sent to an area confirmed to be an old warehouse by Mr. Edgeworth. Mr. Edgeworth currently went to pursue Mr. Wright by going to this location by himself. He chose not to bring escorts or police since he wouldn't be able to ensure Mr. Wright's safety." Ema started.

"So, one lead to his would be these pictures Mr. Wright took?" Apollo asked.

"Yes." She replied.

"Wait a second…" Apollo scrolled down the page to read Phoenix Wright's text message to Mr. Edgeworth, the one sent most recently:

_From where I am, she is in the room adjacent to mine to the right. As to how I was taken here, they tied me up and covered my eyes, but I suspect that they took me to this room by a secret passageway and elevator. As to the secret passageway, I can only think of one place considering all of the observations I made- The Borscht Bowl Club. The memo in my blazer, my suspicions were right all along._

"Memo… blazer… It all makes sense now!" Apollo stood up.

"Apollo! I'm not allowing you to go after the kidnappers, you hear me?" Ema screamed at him.

"Who says I am?" he smirked confidently.

"What?"

"Listen, I've got an idea. How many professional murder incidents have there been in total?" he asked.

"There were five incidents in total. The mastermind started his killing spree just this month… Apollo, you're convinced that there is definitely a connection with Mr. Wright's abduction and the serial murders?" Ema looked at him seriously.

"If I piece together the stories he'd been telling me recently about those doctors, and how he acted weirdly all too sudden, remembering the events that might have taken place on his way back to the offices… It all makes sense." Apollo stated.

"Mr. Wright, on his way home passed the Borscht Bowl Club as usual. There, he must have discovered something he didn't want to happen- maybe a plan by a serial killer to take Mr. Edgeworth as his next target. This is why he decided to go to Mr. Edgeworth's house."

"We stubbornly had to go with Mr. Wright after he made signals for Trucy and me to stay in the offices." He continued.

"Why did you both disobey Mr. Wright?" Ema asked.

"Ah…..! I remember it now… This fact that I must have locked deep inside my heart and tried hard to forget…" he answered.

"What was it?"

"Trucy and I felt it. Mr. Wright was hiding something, and not just anything. Trucy badly wanted to pretend like nothing was happening and just watch over Mr. Wright. I couldn't deny the vibrations ringing from my bracelet either, so I went off with Trucy."

"Vibrations?... Bracelet? What do you mean?" she asked.

"…" he blushed a little, bashful that he might have sounded idiotic to her, a scientist who didn't really believe in those things.

"Never mind.. Carry on." She brushed that topic away, wanting to hear the rest.

"At the end, Mr. Wright found us and we could tell he was in panic. He tried to cover it up by gently pushing us into the bushes in a hurry telling us it was to surprise Mr. Edgeworth. In the next ten seconds, the abductors came and their struggle began."

He paused, grief starting to collect in his expression.

"It was happening all too fast… The shock we experienced, because of that… I couldn't remember everything quite clearly." He ended.

"So… You connected this serial murder case with Mr. Wright's abduction by noticing his actions, and figuring out the route he'd most likely take back to the offices?" Ema smiled.

"I guess you can say that." He replied.

"So, what are you planning to do now, asking me about this serial killing?"

"I'm going to find clues in all the crime scenes. Maybe I can find something that will lead to Mr. Wright's current location and the identity of the killer." Apollo explained.

"No sensible clues were found on the scene… We're desperate for evidence…" Ema paused, looking grim.

Apollo paused.

"It reminds me of another serial killing years back…" tears started to build up in her eyes.

"Whoa! Whoa! I'm so sorry Ema!" Apollo got nervous.

"Herr Forehead… What's going on? Can't you be any lower than this?" Klavier Gavin entered the office.

"I swear I didn't do anything wrong!" he cried.

"What are you talking about, you glimmerous fop?!" she shot back at him.

"Huh?" Klavier looked confused.

"You have to save Mr. Wright… and Mr. Edgeworth… I'll do what it takes to help you…" Ema wiped the tears off her eyes.

"Ema…" Apollo gently stared at her.

"…Then I would have repaid my debt… No… I'd have done something to repay them for that time…" she smiled whole-heartedly.

"Hmph… Alright then it's all settled." Klavier laughed softly.

"Great! Let's keep in touch, Ema, Prosecutor Gavin!" Apollo prepared to dash out the door, when Klavier grabbed a hold of his collar.

"Nein, Herr Forehead, you musn't rashly dash out there now." He said.

"That's right! It's ten to twelve AM! Hit the sack. Start your investigation tomorrow." Ema ordered him.

"B-b-but!" he objected.

"We'll all be here together, seems like it. I'm going to assist Fraulein Skye in trying to get in touch with the three as well. You don't have to rush things for now. It'll be more dangerous, and you can't just suddenly leave the little Fraulein." Klavier spoke objectively.

"Trucy…" Apollo remembered and decided to follow Klavier and Ema's decision.

"Thanks, guys. I'll start tomorrow." Apollo smiled.

He went out of the office, and closed the door.

"… Why didn't you both turn on the lights anyway, fraulein?" Klavier turned to Ema who was re-reading the pages of the archives.

Klavier discovered the room to be dark or dimly lit- light was only provided by that single computer turned on by Ema, and the moonlight that streamed through the huge window in the room.

"Oh… I guess I forgot. *munch*" she continued to eat her snackoos.

"Haha, funny though. It's only just the two of us now… in this dark room." He approached her desk, placed his hand on the table and gave her a flashy smirk.

*snackooed*

**to be continued…**

Hahaha! A little diversion for now guys, it's filling the gap slowly. I hope you liked it! I'd love it if you'd drop a review. ^_^

-drops of jelly


	5. First Comparison

Here's another chapter. I've tried my best to update as soon as I can, so if it's a little late, I humbly apologize. I'm getting busier by the week! _

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Fifth Turnabout**

Place: ???

June 5 11:00 pm

"It's quite late… I can tell you two little sweeties hadn't had dinner yet." The kind old woman placed some plates of chicken wings and bowls of chocolate porridge each for the two prosecutors who were seated next to each other on a coffee table in front of the fire.

"Thank you very much… um…" Franziska wondered about the old woman's name.

"Cecile, honey. Just call me Cecile." She smiled as she took a tray of teacups filled with English earl grey tea.

"We're sorry about barging in on you like this, Ms. Cecile, but we'll repay you for all your favors soon." Miles timidly thanked her, taking the cup of tea she offered.

"Oh, don't worry about that sonny. I'm quite glad to have some company tonight. You see, my daughter's at the detention center now, and she's the only family I have left now. Quite a shame, you know." She sighed, taking a seat across the two.

"Detention Center?" Franziska turned to her.

"Dr. Lanette Steelbird, ace surgeon!" she grinned, proud of introducing her daughter's name to the two.

"She's that one suspected of the recent murder of two other doctors, wasn't she?" Franziska was shocked.

"Yes, unfortunately… But I assure you, my Lanettie is not a murderer! She's do anything to save a life in fact!" the woman defended her daughter.

"… I see. But, I heard that standing for her defense is Phoenix Wright." Miles Edgeworth commented.

"Yes, that attorney! I've heard a lot about him. It makes me feel at ease when I remember he was _that_ attorney. His story impressed me so!" her face glowed.

"Ms. Steelbird will be fine, I assure you, madam." Franziska sighed and smiled.

"Thank you…" the old woman smiled gently.

O-o-O

"That hit the spot." Franziska sighed, feeling satisfied.

"Your room's ready upstairs, and I've prepared clothes too. You can have a peaceful sleep tonight." She giggled.

The two didn't know why she giggled, but volunteered to clean up.

"You can sit there in the living room, I'll clean up alone. Your foot's hurt." He eyed her injury.

"A little sprained ankle won't stop me, Miles Edgeworth. I… have to repay that woman too." She hated owing someone, or anyone.

He knew he couldn't stop her, so he helped her up and walk around.

Miles and Franziska picked up the plates, bowls, cups and silverware they used and placed them carefully in the dishwasher. They cleaned up the kitchen while waiting too. They placed all the utensils back in their proper places, then walked together upstairs.

"We should contact them now. We have to get back." Franziska said.

"You're right. Let's find the phone." Edgeworth went to the living room once again to find the house phone.

He picked up the receiver, but there was no dial tone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry… The phone lines in our area were destroyed just recently, and there's no internet signal too. But maybe you can find a payphone tomorrow morning. Don't worry, my house is the safest place you know." Cecile popped her head out of her room and told Edgeworth.

"I see. Alright, madam." He responded.

"So, the phone lines are dead in this spot?" she asked him as he came over.

"Yeah. But, I'm sure I can find a payphone outside if I try." He answered.

"No. It's too dangerous now. They might be out there, they might see you. The killers do think we're dead you know." She warned him.

"I'll be fine. We really need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"No!" she beamed, this time it surprised Edgeworth.

"You promised too… That you won't leave me…" her voice started to shake.

"I can't bring you with me. You're injured!"

"Then… Don't go. We'll find a phone together tomorrow, Miles Edgeworth." She pouted, with a frustrated face.

"…Alright." He sighed.

"Help me walk." She commanded.

"You never say please anymore." He monotonously answered, taking her arm and placing it over his shoulders.

"Quiet you!" she snapped back at him as he helped her walk to the room.

O-o-O

"It's one big bed…" Franziska's eyes remained on the queen-sized bed that sat in that huge white room lit by four yellow lights, one on each corner.

"Don't worry. I'll divide the double mattress bed. I'll take the top layer and I'll place it on the floor where I can stay. You can stay on the remaining layer." He settled her on the dresser's chair and began to strip the bed of its covers and transfer the pillows on one empty end table.

"It's been quite long since I've slept in the same room with you. Don't you feel a little awkward?" she asked.

"It's alright with me. Anything's fine with me, I can take it. I'm grateful enough not to die today." He said, sighing while lifting the upper layer of the bed and pushing it down to the floor.

"Ahh…" she averted her eyes from him.

She hadn't seen Miles panic like earlier, or suddenly get so athletic earlier, or even do a lot of housework in ages. She felt a feeling of nostalgia and those long gone feelings of attraction from her childish crush towards him long ago began to knock on her door's heart once more in that little moment.

Yes, he did look attractive that night, more than ever. He did save her too.

"You alright, Franziska?" he snapped her out of her daydream. She didn't notice she was staring at him like he was some kind of Rafael Santi sculpture.

"U-u-uh… yes. I'm a little tired, that's all. Moving around this foot is hard." She stammered. Yes, she was still immature in more ways than one.

"I'll run your bath for you. Just wait a little okay?" he gave her a look of concern, but his face remained stern as well.

"………" she hated the idea that he offered to run her bath. She'd bet he'd make it a bubble bath or something. She just hated it, for the most petty, unreasonable and invalid reasons.

_Fool._ She muttered as he walked passed her and turned on the bathtub faucet.

After a few minutes, he went out of the bathroom and helped her up. He walked her to her bath and seated her on a rattan-abaca stool inside.

"Will you be okay now?" he asked, slightly blushing. Was it because steam filled the room?

"Yes of course!! I can handle myself you know!" she stubbornly answered. Of course she needed no help in undressing herself and getting in the water! –To her thinking.

"I'll finish preparing the beds." He cleared his throat and quickly turned back. He couldn't afford her to see his face redden any more.

"HMPH!" Franziska barked back as soon as he shut the door.

O-o-O

She had the trouble of hopping out of the tub and onto the slippery, shined marble floor, grabbing a hold of the golden bar on the bathroom counter. She had the difficulty in changing too, careful of not hitting her injury or stretching it too much, or even applying too much force into that foot.

She barely got out in one piece. When she hopped out of the bathroom, she didn't look too properly dressed. Edgeworth couldn't help but stifle a laugh seeing her come out.

"You weren't able to check the mirror." He couldn't hold back his sarcasm.

"Agghh…" she banged the wall slightly with her fist out of frustration.

Miles helped her tidy up her pale blue hair and adjusted the bottom buttons of her pajama blouse. She apparently missed a hole somewhere in the middle and had to redo the rest of the buttons. He helped adjust the bottom hems of the ¾ cut pajamas, avoiding her injury carefully.

"… Thank you." She spat the words out, still full of pride.

_How do you live by yourself_? He thought, looking at her.

She walked herself, limping a little to the bed Miles prepared for her. His bed was the one laid on the bottom, on the clean, shined floor.

Miles opened the curtains a little to reveal part of a beautiful view of LA outside. He took his folded pile of clothes and went inside the bathroom next.

Franziska sat on the bed, recalling the events that transpired yesterday and today. It all happened quite fast, but she's trying to make sense of it all.

_Phoenix Wright had been stabbed on the right side of his body, and kidnapped._

_He left a clue on his blazer, which she retrieved from Trucy, his daughter._

_It was a memo stating about Borscht Bowl Club and the planning that went on there._

_She entered the Borscht Bowl Club to gather clues, but the moment she entered the hideout at the basement of the club- the same place of the murder of Shadi Smith, everything grew dark._

_The next day, she found herself tied up in an unfamiliar room, and until 6pm, she had no contact to the outside world._

_At 6 pm, Miles Edgeworth gave her an opportunity of escape, which she made use of, but she had been cornered and captured, while finding her way out._

_She had almost died, drowned in the pool, until Miles Edgeworth saved her and revived her with the standard CPR, thankfully._

She paused, and realized how lucky she was that he was there. She still depended on him after all… And she was still somehow, following him in his shadow. She both hated and liked that.

Suddenly, the memory of his breath on her and their lips touching came back to her mind.

"Wh-what?! Why are you thinking about that this time…?! Aghh, the shame! He's making me stutter like a foolishly foolish foolhardy fool once again…" she shook her head rapidly.

After he revived her, they discovered her broken ankle and thankfully found the house they are currently staying in for the night.

_Now, all's left is to contact the team and recover Phoenix Wright. From this experience, we've uncovered a little of the killer's strategy…_

_Seizing the limbs and putting the person to sleep, then bringing the person to an underground place… as I suspected, then, disposing the live body by murdering them in a suburban area and shifting all the evidence to point to an innocent bystander, or owner residing in the area._

She deducted the killer's strategy from their experience.

And just when the timing was perfect, Miles Edgeworth went out of the bathroom, properly clothed, looking perfect, as if made for him, in the bedtime attire he was lent.

"Tomorrow, we're going to strike back and recover Phoenix Wright. I've found out their strategy." He went over and sat on his bed.

"Then I guess we've both come up with a thing or two." She remarked.

They both discussed their deductions, which were in fact, similar.

"But then, will you talk to me about how you were captured?" he asked.

"There was a conspirator waiting at the basement of the Borscht Bowl Club. I think he knew it was a risk for an outsider to be in that place too since he was quick to seize me. There must have been clues there." She answered.

"Then, we'll be sure to check that place when we get out of here. For now, we will have to rest. Don't you feel tired struggling to stay alive today?" he laid himself down and took the covers.

"Exhausted, Miles Edgeworth." She glared at him, stating the obvious.

"I'll switch off the lights then. Good night." He pushed the switch, and it clicked off into a comfortable darkness.

"……………." She still couldn't get to sleep. She tossed and turned on the bed.

"…… Keep it down, Franziska." Miles Edgeworth complained slightly, being the insomniac he was.

"I can't sleep…" she whined, turning to his direction.

"… Sigh… I'll be nice today then, but just because I haven't done this in a long time." He stretched out his hand and tried to find her head in the dark.

He found the spot. He began to stoke her hair softly, in a warm comforting manner, trying to put her to sleep.

"… Hmph." She felt like the baby she was when he first came to the von Karma house when she was three.

She did grow up with him, and spent a lot of time with him, especially during bedtime. Her father didn't bother reading her a bedtime story or singing a lullaby. Miles had the job of helping her sleep, easing her fears when she couldn't settle down, and patting or stroking her hair until her eyes closed. He was nine and lonely, as she was also three and in need of love.

She hated him stroking her hair like that, but she liked it at the same time.

She also didn't realize that from where she was already lying down, tossing and turning a while ago, that she was just directly beside him. They were in the dark after all.

But her foot hurt and she couldn't move from her position. She realized that he body was just next to his, in fact she felt warmer with him beside her. When she stretched her hand, she hit him by accident.

"Ouch…" he whispered.

"AHHH…" she confirmed it, that she was indeed lying next to him. She had fallen off her bed and invaded his space.

Miles Edgeworth just realized it himself too.

"… You need help back up?" it took him a long time to reply, and he was uneasy.

He was lying down with her. He was a grown man, and she a grown woman.

"… My foot hurts already… Just scoot over." She replied, with the most embarrassed voice.

She closed her eyes slowly while he continued to stroke her hair gently. He smiled, then rolled away, giving space between him and her.

He turned to the opposite direction. Facing her was a bad idea to him. Having her sleep next to him was too tempting, and breaking his heart too much. He admits that he's uncomfortable, and he's afraid of not being able to stop himself.

So that's how their night ended. Pretty unusual, but it had to do, fortunately.

What lies ahead for them both would be tough,

And what Phoenix must be doing, sending those messages, and how he's progressing over this case will be revealed all too soon.

**to be continued…**

It's a MilesxFran chapter! Especially dedicated to my fellow MilesxFran pairing fans, Indochine Ramera and Dragonridingattorney43!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, reader. I'd love it if you dropped a review! Thank you very much!

-drops of jelly


	6. First Contradiction

I'm so sorry for the late update! Tomorrow's my birthday and I've been making a lot of preparations.

I admit, I may have had some obvious errors the other chapter, and I apologize for them. _ Please turn a blind eye to those errors since I'm running out of time and I can't edit them as of now. Thank you!

I hope that you'll enjoy this next chapter.

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Sixth Turnabout**

A few meters from Borscht Bowl Club

June 5 5:58 pm

"………………"

Phoenix Wright woke up from a nap. He was fatigued ever since he was brought into this unfamiliar room, still wounded, then tied up to a chair.

Earlier that morning, he miraculously found a sharp edge where he could cut off the ropes tying him. He severed the annoying knots tied around his wrists and untied the rest of his limbs from the chair. He reached out for his phone and sent those text messages to Miles Edgeworth which led him to where he was.

His injury had stopped bleeding, it was not a critical wound, but his white polo had absorbed quite an amount of blood.

After a few seconds, he took a quick peek outside through a small window in the room to see if the outside changed. He saw a familiar car pass by, and then decided to welcome the person who owned that car.

_Don't worry Franziska, Edgeworth's here to help you_. He thought. He didn't make any contact to her since they were captured. He didn't want to blow his cover. If she were to know where he was, she'd insist on taking him with her, and he couldn't go back just yet. He had to find clues to build his case too.

He thought of a plan to attract attention from the outside.

Phoenix Wright set up the scene. His plan turned out to kill two birds with one stone. He planned to get Edgeworth's attention, and stage his own death.

The china teapot and cup and the entire room were the perfect tools for this feat.

O-o-O

He turned the cup containing tea over and it spilled over and poured onto the floor.

He stained his white polo with a little of the tea, then knocked over the china set.

That noise attracted Edgeworth's attention, and then he began to communicate with him, actually typing messages.

After he communicated with Edgeworth, he turned off his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. Unlike Franziska's abductors, his did not think of searching him and confiscating his phone. He was too lucky indeed.

He tied his feet back to the chair, then tied back his blindfold, and tied himself back to the chair. He knocked himself down on the floor with himself faced upward- his wound reopened a little because of the impact, but he had to force himself awake. He laid with his chair on the floor next to the mess of the china he broke and the tea he spilt. The bleeding of his wound was enough to convince anyone that he bled to death.

To his better advantage, moments later, a blackout occurred and unlocked and opened all the electronic doors, including his.

He planned to stage his own death by bleeding since the setting gave way, and have the kidnappers discover him at this state.

After half an hour after the lights went back on, one kidnapper stumbled across this 'crime scene' and discovered Phoenix Wright's 'corpse'.

"Hey… This one's finished." One of the men called the other's attention.

"What happened to this one?" the other one entered the scene.

"Looks like he bled to death, from when we stabbed him." He laughed.

"What a guy. He must have tried to escape, but knocked himself down and worsened his wound. Pathetic." He laughed along.

"Oh well, we'll have to clean this one up too, like the boss always tells us." One of the men proceeded to lift Phoenix's body.

They placed his body at the back of the same van he traveled in, and drove a kilometer or so away from the building, the Gourd Lake Park. They laid his body under a tree and began to dig a grave for him, not too deep, about just two feet-enough to terrify any passer by.

When the two of them lifted Phoenix's body together and laid it in the hollow space. The second they let their guards down, Phoenix quickly sprayed some pepper spray into their eyes and kicked their stomachs.

_Heh, pepper spray tactics, a classic. Trucy was right, pepper spray does come in handy in more ways than one._ He sighed, remembering the times his doting daughter slipped in random things in his blue suit.

The two men wailed in pain as Phoenix grabbed a thick, broken tree branch nearby and hit the two men unconscious, despite his wound.

It was convenient enough that there were tree branches nearby.

He dragged the two unconscious men and placed them inside an unused boat shack in the vicinity. He tied the two men up very securely with one of the ropes used to tie the boats together. He took the other man's clothes and one of their cell phones and ID cards. He could use these pieces of evidence. Then he securely sealed the shack- using one boat to block the door.

He turned on his phone and checked Edgeworth's location by GPS.

It was on an unfamiliar spot a few meters away from the Borscht Bowl Club. He was alarmed and suspected it was still at the place he was held hostage in. He walked all the way back after treating his wound.

O-o-O

_Where could those two be now? They're not responding at all_… he thought, nervous.

In his disguise, he went back to the building and found his 'place of death'.

Coincidentally, the cell phone that he took from one of the men rang.

The name that appeared on the cell phone was **BOSS**

He answered the phone.

"B5, six cases have been reported so far. Have you anything new to add?" it was a man who spoke through a voice converter. It must be the mastermind.

Six?! Please be okay… Edgeworth, Franziska… he prayed in his thoughts.

"Make that seven, sir. The attorney, Phoenix Wright died earlier and we have disposed of his body at the Gourd Lake Park." He replied in his altered voice.

"That attorney, eh… Yes. Let me see his corpse tomorrow. You will take me to where you have disposed of him. He was quite a thorn on my side ever since he took on Dr. Steelbird's case…" the voice replied.

_This person… knows Dr. Steelbird personally?_ Phoenix thought.

"Yes, sir." He replied and hung up after.

_Alright, the perfect trap… But I'll have to be careful. I'm going to meet with this person and trap him._

He took his cellphone and sent a single text message to Apollo Justice, to get things moving on the other side- so Apollo could start gathering evidence and uncover the truth.

_I found the mastermind, and now he's gone, but don't tell anyone._

He sent this of course – his objective.

He received a reply in return, but he didn't entertain it any further. He had to make more careful steps from now on, knowing that Edgeworth and Franziska might be alive or dead.

Gourd Lake Park

June 6 11:00 am

Phoenix Wright, in disguise was walking across the park with the mastermind- a man in his forties, as he appears.

So this is BOSS… he thought, moving towards the boat shack, and pushing away the boat he used to block the door with.

The boss went ahead and opened the door.

But, once he opened the door and saw his two men tied up but still asleep, in a split second, he was severely knocked unconscious.

_I guess I can think like a criminal sometimes_. Phoenix sighed nervously.

He tied the boss up as well and once again locked the door and blocked it with the same boat.

That took a lot of strength out of him.

Criminal Affairs Department

June 6 12:12 pm

*beep beep beep*

"Hello?" Detective Gumshoe answered his phone, startled at the sudden ring.

"I managed to get out somehow, and I've got the mastermind and two accomplices under custody. Please have the police come over now at the Gourd Lake Park, the boat shack to be precise. I can't hold out too long. These men are merely unconscious." Phoenix reported.

"WHHHHAAAT!! Alright pal! We'll rush over there in ten minutes!" Gumshoe leaped off his chair and hung up.

"Guys! We've got Phoenix Wright, with the real killer in his custody! We've got to hurry there now!" Gumshoe summoned the police men and rushed into the police car.

_Don't worry pal. We'll take it from there! You'll be okay now!_ Gumshoe thought to himself as their police car raced across the highway.

However… Things were far from over- if that's what Phoenix thought.

to be continued

Again, I'm sorry for the late update! I had a little of a writer's block honestly, trying to examine all possible angles to this case, trying to make it as realistic as I can while turning it around too! (So this is how Phoenix feels a lot.. sigh) But I'm trying my best too! I'm definitely going to turn this whole thing around!

Updates might come later next time… Sorry! TT_TT

-drops of jelly


	7. First Defeat

I've started to update this story today (my birthday LOL the happiness) and I hope this chapter will be able to satisfy you, dear reader.

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Seventh Turnabout**

Cecile's House?

June 6 3:21 pm

"............. Ughhh." Miles Edgeworth groaned, fluttering his eyes open. His head was spinning from the fatigue he experienced since last night and from oversleeping.

His vision was blurry and he was sweating bullets. He closed his eyes once more, only to be awakened by Franziska's hand touching his forehead.

"... How long have you been awake? Had you eaten breakfast?" he asked.

"We're not exactly in the best position right now, Miles Edgeworth." She whispered.

"What do you mean?" before he could inquire any further, the door to the room they were staying in flung open and Cecile walked in.

"I see you have come to, Prosecutor Edgeworth." She snickered so sinisterly.

It was a side of the middle-aged woman that she had so carefully concealed all this time.

"What's going on, Madame Cecile?" he asked, blinking his eyes to improve his vision.

"I have a few questions for you, sonny."

"It depends... A question for a question, an answer for an answer." He replied coldly but uneasily.

"Did you ever think that we were careless enough to keep you alive?" she lit a cigarette then puffed out some smoke.

"So... You did keep an eye out for us. You were too insecure." He commented, more than giving an answer.

"You are the prosecutor in charge of this case, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes, and I think you knew that from the beginning, didn't you Madame?" he replied.

She grunted.

Franziska helped Miles Edgeworth stand from the bed he laid on. She gripped his arm tightly, letting him know of her uneasiness.

"You were lucky indeed, Prosecutor. If only it hadn't been for that attorney's intervention, then that stupid excuse for a surgeon would have been done for." She laughed maniacally in frustration.

"I thought Dr. Steelbird was your daughter, Madame Cecile..." Franziska said.

"Hah... she's not even my blood-relative! If not for her, all that inheritance would have been mine!" she spat out some more smoke.

_........ Now we know she's connected to this recent case._ Miles Edgeworth eyed Franziska.

"You both were quite unlucky from the minute you stepped into my house." She pulled out a gun from her sweater.

".....!" Franziska's face turned into a horrified expression of alarm.

"Let me ask you one question then. I've answered two of your questions, but I'll only ask one of you." Miles Edgeworth straightened himself up.

"... Hmph, but you do know I'll only answer if I feel like it."

"Who is your accomplice, the mastermind?" he asked directly, not feeling an inch of fear. He had to know the truth.

"You know better than to ask me that... sonny." She grinned, then pointed the gun at him.

In a split second, she pulled the trigger, and Franziska embraced him, blocking him from the shot, and pushed him down back on the bed.

In that same time, someone held Cecile's arm and body upwards into an arrest, which diverted the gunshot onto the ceiling.

"... Franziska!" Miles called out to her in panic, feeling her weight on top of him on the bed, she was still holding him tight. He was more scared of what happened than being disturbed about their position, how they laid together on that bed.

"Mr. Edgeworth! Ms. Von Karma! Are you alright?!" Ema ran into the scene next with two other policemen.

"We were just right on time... Any other second late, Herr Edgeworth and Fraulein von Karma would be as good as dead... in each other's arms, anyway." Klavier chuckled after karate-chopping Cecile at the back of her neck and confiscating her gun.

"...Shut up fool. Now's not the time to-" Franziska blushed.

"We have to get out of here quickly." Miles stood up, not looking any better, but more sturdy.

"More men are coming!" Ema spotted four more men walking to the front door.

"Fraulein Detective, get away from here with Herr Edgeworth and Fraulein von Karma now! The policemen and I will take on these guys until backup arrives." Klavier snappily ordered Ema, after noticing Franziska's injury, and Miles' unwell state.

"Are you insane?!" she protested.

"You have a better idea? Go!" they heard the distinct sound of footsteps from the lower floor.

"YOU IDIOT!" she screamed at him, running with Miles and Franziska towards the stairs.

"... Heh, maybe she doesn't hate me that much after all." He smirked, muttering to himself as he and the other two policemen ran to the entrance to block off the enemy reinforcements while the three escape.

O-o-O

Ema, Miles and Franziska were on the run from the area.

Ema led the way while Miles carried Franziska who still couldn't walk, much less run.

"How did you find us?" Franziska asked Ema.

"Apollo Justice went to investigate around the crime scenes, as we speak, he's continuing to scan all the crime scenes. On your case, the old warehouse, he found a vital piece of evidence and sent it to me." She panted, running.

"Didn't he encounter any danger at all? Foolish boy, just like his mentor!" Franziska snapped, annoyed yet relieved.

"There was apparently no one at the vicinity, or he wasn't noticed." Ema responded.

There were running through a thick forest.

"How large is this forest?" Miles huffed.

"It's not a very big one, but it's fairly dangerous. This is a mountainous area. No car or bike can climb to that house. We had to hike this out, parking our car at the Hazakura temple.

"... So we are near that place once again." He sighed, remembering the case eight years ago.

"... Are you still up for this, Franziska?" he panted, huffing and puffing as they went on.

"I should be the one to ask you that, Miles Edgeworth..." she had a rather hard time speaking, from where she was positioned. He was carrying her on her back.

"I'm... I'm still fine. I can go on, but you're hurt." He breathed.

"Drat... I know. I'm such an utterly foolishly foolish, useless foolhardy fool." She displayed such frustration, not noticing she had been hitting his back for quite some time.

"Ugghh..." Edgeworth swivelled carelessly aside, almost hitting a tree nearby.

"Ahh!!" Franziska braced herself, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, and trying to hang onto his back with her legs, and her injured ankle.

In a split second, Miles Edgeworth realized that they were about to fall, he got his body to act against his will, being able to stand up straight once more.

"You fool... You're burning." She felt his hot neck as she had held onto him tighter, then touched his forehead, almost covering his eyes.

"H-hey, I can't see Franziska!" he was starting to fall again.

"Put me down Miles Edgeworth." She said as calmly as possible. She was trying to contain her frustration-covered guilt, and doing a bad job of doing it.

"No, I can still go on. Trust me this once." He muttered.

"If I trust you this once, we will both die." Her voice accelerated.

He put her down, frustrated, letting a soft grumble escape his lips.

He seated her and himself onto the grass in the forest they were in.

"You know if we idled around like this we wouldn't win." He wearily stared at her.

"If we went on like that, we would lose even more." She was serious, yet annoyed as well. Both of them were weak, she admitted. She had to get a foot injury, while her little brother had to have a temperature of slightly above 39 degrees.

"Miles Edgeworth, we made a pact with each other before this battle didn't we?" she pulled his head closer by his hair and bumped her head softly onto his hot forehead.

"Yes, I suppose we did." He said discreetly, careful of not contaminating her with his hot breath.

"Then act seriously from now on. You should know better what is best to do now." Her words were as sharp as how her whip would slash.

"Please be careful. We've haven't covered a lot of distance yet. Maybe I should help Ms. Von Karma walk, Mr. Edgeworth." Ema suggested.

"No, I'll be fine in a minute." He took deep breaths.

"I think I have some medicine in my bag." Ema searched her sling bag full of test tubes. She found a paracetamol tablet and handed it to Miles with a bottle of water.

He took it obediently.

"I'm curious as to what this pact is, and what you both are trying to win." She smiled at the two.

"We won't leave each other behind, right Franziska?"

"Yes." She blushed as he smiled a little.

"Hmmm." Ema smirked.

"We're going to win no matter what." Franziska commented.

"Win? But this criminal's as good as guilty." Ema eyed Edgeworth.

"We're going to win the truth of course. I don't plan to let the criminals walk free. Dr. Steelbird may have an acquittal at our prosecution's expense, but we will catch the true murderer." He said.

"That's... good enough for me." Franziska admitted, losing was her most despised happening, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive the crazy masterminds of this serial murder case.

"My question is... Why was the prosecution targeted?" Ema wondered.

"I think I wasn't the only one in danger either. Phoenix Wright could have been next if they found out he did Dr. Steelbird's defense any sooner." Edgeworth explained.

"What do you mean?" Ema asked.

"Don't you remember that Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth are well-known in America for their ability to always uncover the truth together, guiding each other to prevent error?" Franziska reminded her.

"Yes. That's right! I myself have seen it with my own eyes... that ability of you two, Mr. Edgeworth!" Ema smiled reminiscently.

"That's what the criminals didn't want. They didn't want Phoenix Wright or Miles Edgeworth to take this case and find the truth. It perfectly makes sense." Franziska explained.

"Well, unfortunately, I'm more determined than ever to reveal all this felony, with Wright of course." Edgeworth said, getting up.

"Are you all better now, Miles Edgeworth?" Franziska asked.

"I can stand. I feel a little better having some water and medicine. Thank you, Ema." He turned to her.

"Don't mention it, Mr. Edgeworth." She smiled courteously.

He picked up Franziska into a sweetheart's carry once again.

"You can always carry me on your back, Miles Edgeworth!" she felt uncomfortable, and embarrassed.

"You're much easier to hold this way." He retorted.

"Hmph!" she barked.

They continued running until they reached the end of the forest and found the police car at the front of the Hazakura temple. Ema helped Franziska into the back seats of the car while Edgeworth took the driver's seat and started the engine.

He made way speedily but carefully to the sloped roads of the area and drove down while Ema made follow-up calls on the back up Klavier requested minutes ago.

_You better be alright you fop. You owe me snackoos._ She ripped open a new pack and furiously began to munch on them while Franziska watched in slight awe.

**to be continued**

Sorry, it's a shorter chapter once again. TT_TT But then I'll continue to update, don't worry. I'd be so glad if I received feedback from you, so please review! Thank you very much for reading this chapter!

-drops of jelly


	8. First Victory

Alright, I get it. Miles sure is SLOW. Rofl

-drops of jelly

Standard Disclaimer Applies.

Eighth Turnabout

Miles Edgeworth pulled over at the Detention Center, where the mastermind was currently in questioning, as told to him by Ema.

"I appreciate your efforts in coming all the way here, but I simply won't allow you to push yourselves any further." Ema Skye went out of the car.

"Ema, please, we have to clear a lot of things up." Edgeworth pleaded.

"Who cares if we've turned into walking zombies?! I'm going to pulp the information out of that fool." Franziska said.

"Edgeworth, you don't look good, and you aren't looking any better Franziska." Phoenix Wright walked towards their car. It turns out he was investigating ever since he brought the boss to detention.

"Phoenix Wright!" Franziska's face glowed with relief seeing his face.

"You're the one who got stabbed and kidnapped, so look who's talking, Wright." Edgeworth said.

"I'm alright now. The wound wasn't deep and I'm in better shape than any of you, now go home and get some rest." Phoenix ordered.

"You fool, if I had my whip, I'd..." Franziska grumbled.

"On one condition, Wright." Edgeworth sighed, glaring at him.

"Miles Edgeworth!" Franziska's face had a jaw-dropped expression.

"I'll fill you in of course, and Ms. Lana Skye's handling the case in your absence in the meantime. She'll pass everything onto you tomorrow." Phoenix said.

"... Good enough." Edgeworth looked away, sulking.

"Mr. Edgeworth, I'll take over and drive you guys back!" Detective Gumshoe ran over to them panting.

"Who's back there with the questioning team, Detective Gumshoe?" Ema asked.

"Oh, I left Officer Meekins with them." He laughed.

"What? I'm coming over then, later guys." She waved to the group and ran towards the entrance.

"Don't worry Edgeworth. We'll get to the bottom of this in due time. For now, build your strength for tomorrow's trial, even if you're not handling the prosecution." Phoenix said.

"I see. I'll follow your words today Wright." He moved to the back seats with Franziska while Gumshoe took over the driver's seat.

"Take care of yourself too, Franziska." He smiled gently at her.

"Hmph, you're fond of not practicing while you preach, aren't you, Phoenix Wright?" she smirked at him as if to condemn him.

"Huh? No way! I mean, yeah I did get stabbed or whatever but..."

"No excuses fool!" she pointed at him smugly.

_She doesn't even have a whip! What the heck?!_ He thought.

"You better get your own share of rest, Phoenix Wright. If I catch you faltering even just a little in tomorrow's trial, you'll get a good serving of whipping even if you're stronger after eight years!" she snapped.

"Yes I will Franziska." He nodded as he looked at both of them with eyes full of concern.

"See you later pal." Gumshoe gave a quick salute then drove off.

"Alright... Let's get down to business." Phoenix Wright paced back to the entrance.

_I have uncovered a number of facts from my investigation, and from Apollo's:_

_The boss's name is Stephen Fergusson, a man who had involvement with mafia activity five years ago. He was kicked out for backfiring in several black market deals._

_Five years ago Dr. Lanette Steelbird and a group of other professionals were responsible for his arrest after being exposed trying to make a black market deal by selling body organs illegally circulated. He escaped from prison just this year._

_The victims of the serial killings matched the names of the professionals targeted._

Crime Scene Report, care of Criminal Affairs, received from Apollo Justice

Fergusson set up the evidence to pinpoint Dr. Lanette Steelbird by leaving the following evidences at each of the crime scenes:

Crime Scene A – A **fruit knife** covered in blood bearing Lanette's fingerprints, victim - Lawyer

Crime Scene B – A **footprint** of Lanette on the victim's rubber suit, victim – Electric Engineer, died of electrocution

Crime Scene C – Lanette's **steel baseball bat** with her fingerprints, it was stained with blood, victim – Cardiologist, died of severe head trauma

Crime Scene D – A **lighter** belonging to Lanette, of course, with her fingerprints, victim – Businessman, died of cremation (is that the right term? Pardon me.)

Crime Scene E – A **gun** registered under Dr. Steelbird, fired twice, ballistic marks match bullets found in victims' hearts, bears no prints, victim – two doctors

Crime Scene F – No such place. No sixth crime was committed.

There were too many cases on this. But he was prepared to take them all on for Dr. Steelbird's acquittal.

_There was the motive, and there were the methods of murder._

_Now that's left is to piece together everything. Phoenix Wright knows that Fergusson couldn't have done all these alone to frame Lanette. He had an accomplice._

_This accomplice turned out to be a woman called, Cecile, Dr. Steelbird's step mother. According to Ema Skye's report, Cecile's motive was to take Lanette out to claim the family fortune and inheritance for Lanette all to herself._

"Ema, all this evidence, where is it?" Phoenix asked Ema upon entering.

"They're all going to be submitted in court. Would you like me to prepare you some copies?" Ema put on her rose-tinted glasses and smiled.

"Thank you!" he smiled cheerfully.

"Mr. Wright!!!!!" Apollo rushed and flung the door to the room they were in open.

"Oh, hello Apollo." Phoenix greeted him.

"MR. WRIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHHT!" Apollo shouted, surprised and glad to see him alive and ran over.

"How's the investigation going?" Phoenix laughed.

"I found something interesting, let's go back to the office first, I left Trucy alone." Apollo said.

"Alright then. Ema, I'll come back later. Thanks for your help." Phoenix turned to her.

"Okay, drop by later for the evidence." She smiled.

Wright and Co. Law Offices

June 6 7:15 pm

"I found this on the latest scene." Apollo handed Phoenix a maroon-coloured cellphone with a Steel Samurai strap.

"Edgeworth's cell phone?" Phoenix took it and slid it open.

"A conversation was recorded in there." Apollo's face grew serious.

"... I see." Phoenix listened to the recording.

Nothing could be heard the first twenty minutes, just a little sound of rusting, footsteps and text messaging.

The thing unique about this model is that one can record things while making use of the other functions of the phone. His phone was originally an mp3 player and recorder unit, but Edgeworth didn't make use of those additional features much until that day.

After the twenty minutes, a thud was heard and Edgeworth's little voice was heard, as if he was struggling. Then after a minute of silence, he heard a woman's voice.

"That'll teach that boy to mess with me. Let's dispose of this guy, that other prosecutor and that attorney at my house."

"Madame Cecile,... your house? That might throw some suspicion on you." One thug said.

"Nah, they'll suspect that wretched Dr. Steelbird as always. If not for her being alive and free, I would have had all that inheritance to myself." She grumbled.

"I'll let the boss know about their deaths and who handled it." He pulled out his phone.

"You don't need to tell him they're in my house. I want it to be a surprise for him. A perfect close to a perfect chain of murders. Heck, I never cared about those victims. I just want Lanette out of my way." She laughed.

"Yes, 'maam." The thug began to dial.

The automatic timer of the phone's recording function had cut off after.

"Lucky they didn't discover his phone." Apollo sighed.

"This is our ace." Phoenix smiled widely.

"Good luck for tomorrow's trial, Mr. Wright." Apollo's eyes shined in excitement.

"I won't be alone. You're going to be on the defense box with me." He laughed.

"!...... Really?!" Apollo was surprised. It wasn't going to be the first time he and Phoenix were going to be in the same defense box, but he couldn't avoid being nervous over this wacked up case and being against Prosecutor Edgeworth.

"Yes. And don't worry, of course Klavier Gavin will be on the prosecution team as well." Phoenix continued.

"... Okay." He sighed.

"What was that sigh for?" Phoenix laughed and hit Apollo's back.

Franziska's House

June 6 7:00 pm

"Just come inside, Miles Edgeworth!" Franziska, holding on to Detective Gumshoe, called out to Miles who was standing outside beside the police car in that semi-cold weather. It was generally summer, but nights were as cold.

"... We could have gone to my house." He spat out the words.

"What, and get ambushed again? No thank you, fool." She sighed, annoyed yet intrigued.

"Sir, it's better for you to stay here, besides the police are still around your house." Gumshoe grinned.

"Alright. Just for tonight." He slowly walked into her house.

Franziska switched on the lights and asked Gumshoe to help her over to the cabinet at one side of her living room.

She opened the cabinet and took out a fancy-looking cane with a blue jewel on it. It was presumed that it belonged to her late father, Manfred von Karma.

"Good... with this, I can walk by myself temporarily." She tried to walk with the cane.

Gumshoe and Edgeworth were trying to stifle a laugh, while denying in their head that their faces were turning beet red.

"Why are you looking at me like that you foolishly foolish fools!?!" she angrily cried.

"Well, seeing that you're able to scream like that, I'd presume you're feeling better." Edgeworth remarked.

"Then, I'd better get going. Hope you guys will have a good rest. See you tomorrow at court. The session starts at night too, unusually." Gumshoe scratched his head.

"Thank you Detective Gumshoe." Miles nodded in acknowledgement as he walked out the door.

"Hmph. You don't look fine at all Miles Edgeworth. Stop pretending and get to bed." She glared at him, while he was sitting on the couch.

"I guess I have to get better first." His face showed pain and frustration as he got up and found the guest room. Before he closed the door when he got in, Franziska caught up to him.

"I'll bring some dinner over." She said, timidly.

"Will you be fine? Your foot..." he eyed her injury.

"......Stop worrying about me like that! I'm not a child anymore. You sicken me Miles Edgeworth!" she stormed, limping away with her cane.

Miles heaved a sigh and waited obediently inside the room, but collapsed on the bed.

O-o-O

"Miles Edgeworth..." Franziska, seated on the bed tried to shake him awake.

"Uhm... Sorry." He woke up.

"You have to fill your stomach. You took medicine earlier without eating a bite. How did you survive!?" she gave him a tray containing some congee and a cup of hot chocolate.

He had difficulty in eating. He had grown too weak. Franziska couldn't stand it any longer and took the plate and began to feed him spoon by spoon.

"Franziska..." he blushed after swallowing a spoon of the dish.

She was confused where that blush had come from, his fever, or...

"You're really pathetic you know." She pouted and gave him another spoon.

He traced a little smile on his lips and leaned on her shoulder, not on the pillow.

"H-h-hey, what's wrong?" her face was flushed even more.

"Thank you, Franziska." He said gently.

"It's just a congee dish... And I can't make you starve!" she became defensive.

"You saved me earlier... From... that gunshot." He whispered into her ear. His hot breath tickled her, but sent chills down her spine. Unknowingly, he was slowly breaking apart all her defences.

"Prosecutor Gavin did. He diverted that shot, not I." She said, slowly.

"If you hadn't pushed me onto the bed, we both would have been done for." He said.

".............. Quiet!" she blushed so much thinking about that comment just now. The word 'bed' drove her crazy, she shoved the next spoon of congee into his mouth.

He didn't notice the pain anymore. His senses were going numb.

"Sorry!" she turned her head away.

He finished the dish and drank the hot chocolate and took some medicine. Then he became strong enough to get up, but not without trembling, and went inside the bathroom to have a bath.

Franziska was trying to cool herself down. She hated this feeling. It had come to haunt her again after over ten years – her crush on him. She really couldn't remember when she was starting to become nervous when he was near again, was it this recent case? Will this feeling vanish once the case is over and they go back to their everyday lives?

Her blood hadn't settled yet, but Miles Edgeworth came out of the bathroom and crawled back into bed.

"Will you be okay? I'm going to bed now too." She took the tray.

"Help me sleep." Miles was weakened alright, but he was still insomniac.

"... Fine, I'll get the 2009 Constitution Encyclopedia." She pulled out a book from a shelf in the room.

She began to read to him, trying her best to bore him to sleep.

"It's funny, isn't it... It's the other way around this time." He smirked, his eyes slowly closing.

"What?" she turned to him.

"Nothing." He eyes shut and he drifted off into slumber.

She was about to exit his room when she suddenly heard his faint voice:

"_Ich liebe dich_..."

She was stopped in her tracks. That was the last straw.

She dropped the tray in surprise and walked over to his bed and sat next to his body, laid down on the bed.

"I... must be dreaming... Or you must be dreaming, Miles Edgeworth." She muttered.

He opened his grey-hazel eyes slowly and looked into hers.

"You fool..." tears began to build up in her eyes as she nearly collapsed, but fell on the bed.

"... I thought I was the weak one tonight." Miles Edgeworth held down her shoulder.

She gave him a long hard look, still doing a reality-check.

He technically didn't give her time. He pressed his lips onto hers, tenderly and laid-back. He had an ounce of regret in that kiss. He was scared to share off his fever to her, but she responded duly. She kissed him back and embraced his feverish body.

.... _That's what came across her mind in a short span of time after she hear him say those three German words. But to her dismay, that was just her imagination._

Yes, he did say those three German words, but she didn't have the courage and pretended not to hear, closing the door gently behind her.

The evidence is set, the defense is ready, all's left is for the prosecution to recover and get ready as well.

...Until that next day, the trial, where the real battle begins.

**To be continued**...

Ahh... Too bad, Edgeworth. You have to do better than that LOL. I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Please review!

-drops of jelly


	9. First Coincidence

It's been such a long time. School has begun for me and I've been doing a lot of homework. It's really been stressful and when I have the free time, I have to use it to rest or I'll pass out in school. It's really that stressful. Thanks for reading and being patient with me!

I present to you the case called, Turnabout Destinies – Pre-trial investigation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed crafting it.

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Ninth Turnabout**

Pre-trial events:

Franziska's House

June 7 8:30 am

"Good morning Herr Edgeworth, Fraulein von Karma." Klavier Gavin stepped into the dining room where Franziska and Miles were having their breakfast.

"It seems that you came here with the case files, Klavier." Franziska served him an empty plate, asking him to pick from the food on the table.

"Yes. We've just finished finalizing all evidence, and they have been approved. Also, thanks to the efforts of you and Herr Wright, we're about to haul in the real criminals." Klavier took a piece of scone and a slice of omelette.

"...You don't mind losing this case, Klavier?" Franziska poured some orange juice into his glass.

Klavier simply showed his rockstar smile.

"I see you're still that kind of man. You haven't changed." Miles Edgeworth smiled.

"This case is looking grim because of all the evidence against the Fraulein Doctor Steelbird, and also... the witness from the latest case of murder." Klavier added.

"We'll find out everything in due time." Edgeworth said.

"I'll just be at my office if you need anything else, thank you for breakfast, Fraulein von Karma." Klavier wiped his lips with a table napkin and waved them both adieu.

"I'll drop by the precinct later then." Edgeworth bit off his last small piece of French toast.

"Are you well now?" Franziska sipped her juice.

"Better than ever, thank you for last night." He smiled a little.

"It was nothing." She blushed. _Seriously, he had a better way of putting it in words! _She thought.

Criminal Affairs Department

June 7 2:00 pm

"Mr. Edgeworth! You're well enough already?" Detective Gumshoe walked over to him.

"Yes, yes I am." He crossed his arms, tapping his elbow with his other index finger.

"Well, let's head over to the crime scenes! We've even got someone to help us now. Our work will be much quicker!" Gumshoe smiled with confidence.

"Really? Ema's coming with us?" Edgeworth asked.

"Nah, she's currently supervising the crime scenes. Kay will meet up with us at Crime Scene A. She said she had to go ahead of us this morning since she had some things to settle." Gumshoe explained.

"Kay Faraday? How many years has it been... about ten? Yes." He remembered his comrade back in his early prosecuting years... Kay Faraday, the thief of the truth. He smiled.

(a/n: Yes, I have played Gyakuten Kenji and I'm understanding it little by little. My knowledge in the Japanese language isn't the best since I can't read kanji- and I know only a few words, but I studied Chinese too, so somehow I get by. But *sob* it's still too difficult to play when the whole game is almost like gibberish to you. Believe me, cross examination in Japanese is stressful. I can't wait for January when Gyakuken gets Americanized!)

"I heard you're not going to handle the prosecution for this case, sir. Which side are you helping with the investigations you're conducting?" Gumshoe scratched his head.

"I'm siding with the truth, Gumshoe. I want to find out things on my own too you know." He replied.

Gumshoe saluted him.

"What are we waiting for? Let's move." Miles Edgeworth began to walk to his car.

Crime Scene A – Jones Law Offices

June 7 2:15 pm

"The victim was the defense lawyer, Atty. Castor Jones a veteran but not too well-known. He had been stabbed twice, on the abdomen, then at the heart." Kay read aloud the autopsy report she got from Ema.

"The murder weapon?" Edgeworth asked.

"A fruit knife belonging to the defendant." She showed him a model of the weapon.

Miles Edgeworth took it and examined it carefully.

"So, the fingerprints are positioned this way on the actually murder weapon?" he noticed something wrong with the position of the prints.

"So, how exactly did the murder occur?" Miles Edgeworth turned to Kay whose specialty was uncovering these mysteries – recreating the crime scene with the help of her device, Nusumi-chan.

"You know I'll do anything to steal the truth." She giggled.

"You haven't changed much Kay." He smiled.

"Alright, since the body had been removed, all we've got are these chalk markings and other tape markings. Let's try to analyze what happened here." Kay began to press some buttons on her device, expanding rays of green light everywhere in that room. Soon, two figures appeared on the areas where the killer and the victim were supposedly standing or lying on.

Edgeworth approached the blue coloured figure, the victim's body. As indicated on the autopsy report, there were two wounds on his abdomen and heart. Then, he approached to where the red figure, the criminal, was standing. As the scene indicated, footprints were left more clearly on the scene, left by flat shoes no less. However, what made the prints strange was the way they were placed on the scene. The distances between each of the prints were too big, not likely of Dr. Steelbird, whom he had known was a short female and had small but quick steps. The prints weren't left on the floor too strongly either.

"What is that look on your face for, Mr. Edgeworth?" Kay smiled, noticing Edgeworth had the oh-I-see face.

"We're finished here. Let's move on to the next." He found too many obvious errors on this case, but he decided to leave that to Wright.

Crime Scene B – Gatewater Hotel Room 1234

Bathroom

June 7 3:00 pm

"The victim here was Mr. Fred Derby, an electric engineer. He was called into this room to fix some electrical circuit arrangements on the left wing of the 12th floor of the hotel, but as he was opening up the outlets of the bathroom dresser, that's when he died by electrocution." Kay explained the nature of this case.

"So, he died of electrocution from dealing with the circuits?" he entered further into the bathroom.

"That's what the police thought at least. They didn't touch the crime scene after all." She answered.

"Hmm. Something doesn't fit here. He is an electrical engineer, he'd know better than electrocute himself while dealing with circuits. He must have had safety gear on." He deducted.

"Let's have another recreation of the scene." Kay turned on her Nusumi-chan again.

"The body was located in this room, by the tub- A figure was seated at the edge. Maybe he was sitting on the edge of the tub while fixing the outlet of the dresser just beside the tub."

"But there's more to it." Edgeworth thought about the true position of the victim when he died. Did he really get electrocuted and died sitting? It was too impossible. He boldly opened the bathroom curtain covering the rest of the tub.

"Hey! Mr. Edgeworth! That's...!" Kay gasped, not being able to believe her eyes.

"I can't believe they missed something like this!" The tub was filled almost to the brim, with water.

"This totally changes the whole case!" Kay looked further around the tub for more evidence. She found the murder weapon, a wet coil of wire cut from another outlet sticking out from a surface above the tub in the other side.

"Hurry! Check for prints!" Edgeworth quickly prompted Kay.

She used a fingerprinting powder she borrowed from someone and found a set of unidentified prints.

"This will be important evidence." He said.

_Coil of wire added to Court Record._

_Unidentified prints added to Court Record._

"This might be all we can get here. We have to move on Mr. Edgeworth. We've got three more scenes and we haven't much time!" Faraday said.

Crime Scene C – Fulton and Co. Clinics

Jessica Fulton's Office

June 7 3:58 pm

"Dr. Jessica Fulton, a cardiologist was murdered in her office, death by severed head trauma by the use of a baseball bat belonging to the defendant. The blood on the bat is confirmed to have belonged to the victim." Kay reported, handing Edgeworth a photo of the bat in question.

"So, this is the murder weapon? And this must be where the victim was murdered..." Edgeworth approached the desk.

"The fingerprints on the bat and the blood of the victim on it are decisive evidence." Kay Faraday looked more serious. She didn't see any other way out to this case.

"It could have been another person. There is a possiblility." Edgeworth thought.

"However, the police just said that there is a witness." She stated.

"A witness? I'll have to talk to this person right away." He said.

"He's the security guard at the front of the only entrance and exit of this clinic." Faraday told him.

"There isn't much time left... Where is he?" Edgeworth asked.

"I think he's at the police station!" Faraday responded in a little shock.

We've got roughly three hours left before the trial!" Edgeworth faced a dilemma. They had two more crime scenes to investigate.

"Maybe Mr. Gavin and Ms. Franziska had already done the interviewing!" Kay remembered Mr. Gavin.

"You're right... I'll have to leave them on their own, for now we have to go to the rest of the crime scenes." He moved out of the door.

O-o-O

"All these crime scenes aren't making any much sense. The evidence points to Dr. Steelbird, but some things are still off... And I have a really bad gut feeling about this trial you're going to watch, Mr. Edgeworth." Kay crossed her arms as she spoke and walked along the train station.

"The whole truth will be out later, when trial starts and Wright cross-examines the witnesses." Edgeworth held out an index finger.

"Maybe you're right. I've heard a great deal of good stuff about this Mr. Phoenix Wright over the years. I'll watch the trial later for sure." She smiled as she stepped into the train.

"See you later then." He smiled slightly.

She waved goodbye to him as the doors closed and the train began to run along the tracks.

Criminal Affairs Department

June 7 6:30 pm

"Evidences and documents are now complete, except for the interviews with the witnesses. All's left to do is prosecute this trial and find the truth. It'll be up to Wright to point the finger of justice by then." Miles Edgeworth sealed the expanded envelope containing all the required ammunition for tonight's trial, which he will submit to court as a neutral party.

"Since it's a trial with a rare and unusual schedule, is the usual judge going to preside over for tonight as well?" Detective Ema Skye asked.

"No, Fraulein. It'll be the judge's brother this time. Herr Judge is apparently attending a special law jurisdiction seminar in Washington." Klavier said.

"Ahh, so to get this straight, tonight's prosecution will be composed of Prosecutor Franziska von Karma and Prosecutor Klavier Gavin; while the defense team will consist of Attorney Phoenix Wright and Attorney Apollo Justice. Investigations are carried out by Prosecutor Mile Edgeworth, Detective Dick Gumshoe, Miss Kay Faraday and yours truly, Detective Ema Skye." Ema re-read the first page of one case file.

"Ja." Klavier smiled.

*ring ring ring ring*

"Hello, Miles Edgeworth here." Edgeworth answered the phone.

"Mr. Edgeworth, it's me Trucy. Hurry over to the Law Offices! It's an emergency! It's Daddy! This can't be happening..." Trucy's voice was in panic.

"What?! What happened?!" he cried. Klavier and Ema turned to him, wondering about what's happening.

"Herr Edgeworth! Is everything alright?!" Klavier ran over to him

"I don't know... Trucy hung up on me." His face grew grim. "I'll go to the Law Offices. You have to get to the District Court. Court starts in an hour. Get there ahead of me." Edgeworth took his trenchcoat and put it on.

"So you'll take care of this mess by yourself, ja?"

"I'm afraid so." He replied then closed the door.

Wright and Co. Law Offices

June 7 6:45 pm

"Wright! Trucy!" Miles called as he let himself in.

"Mr. Edgeworth, Daddy's in the Hickfield Clinic..." Trucy ran to him as soon as she saw his figure at the door.

"What happened to him?!" The office was in a big mess.

"It was an accident see?" Trucy pointed over to the fallen bookshelf, and the fallen plant, Charley.

"Daddy's really sick with a bad headache and colds, but he insisted on going to court. He was going to get his bag of evidence he prepared in the bookshelf, but it accidentally tipped over him. Polly had to go help him up and got him in the ambulance too just a few minutes ago."

"Let's go visit him then." Edgeworth and Trucy walked to the elevator outside and to the basement parking. He drove over to the Hickfield Clinic.

Hickfield Clinic

June 7 7:00 pm

"... Oh please, this is the same sight I saw eight years ago Wright!" Edgeworth placed a hand over his forehead and shook his head.

There was Phoenix curled up, sitting on the hospital bed shivering, with a few bandages around his body and Iris' hood pulled over his head.

"Uggghhh... This will be the last time I'll ask you for this favour, Edgeworth." Phoenix sniffled as he turned to Miles.

"...No... No, no no!" Miles was anticipating the next few sentences Wright was going to say.

"Take this case." He handed him his defense attorney badge.

"NOOOOOOOO!" he knew this was going to happen. As all these coincidental flashbacks weren't haunting him enough- serial murder case, kidnapping, Hazakura Temple, Phoenix in the hospital and, him being a defense attorney!

"I'm counting on you to work with Apollo in my place." He smiled, then sneezed.

"Hear that Polly?! Mr. Edgeworth will be with you for the defense today!" Trucy cheered.

"........O_O.........:D.......... xD.............!" Apollo's expressions were changing from WTH, to 'cool!', to 'awesome' to 'OMG' to 'is-that-even-legal?'

"Excuse me, I'll just make a short call outside." Miles sighed and went out of Phoenix's room.

He searched on his contact list on his phone for a familiar name and number, then began to ring it.

"_Are you at the Courthouse already? I just got in from the main door_."

"Listen, you're not going to face Wright tonight." He began.

"_Oh no don't tell me Phoenix Wright is_..."

"Yes. Once again he's posed a huge problem for me." He chuckled sarcastically.

"_That FOOLISHLY FOOLISH FOOL_!"

"Prosecutor Gavin's already at the Prosecutor's lobby. The witnesses are being prepared by him as we speak. If you meet him there, let him know Wright can't do this case."

"Oh well... At least I'll have another chance to face you in court again. This time, I'll beat you."

"You'll never get tired of this will you, Franziska?"

"It'll be fun once in a while to duel with you, Miles Edgeworth."

"I'll see you later in court."

They both hung up.

Apollo had just exited the room as well and saw a chance to speak to Miles.

"Mr. Edgeworth, will it be really okay for you to defend with me as a partner?"

"If Wright commended you for your abilities and trusted you enough to be his partner, then I'm going to give you the same trust too. I am filling in for him."

"Then... I will do my best later as well Mr. Edgeworth. Oh boy, this case isn't looking any kinder." He smiled.

"You got that right Justice."

**to be continued**

Updates might be later too, but I'll definitely finish this. I just don't have the time anymore! _

Once again, thank you very much for reading, and I'd really love it if you'd drop a review.

-drops of jelly


	10. First Fate

I've finally got the chance to update! Thank you so much for being patient and still reading this story until now. I've been doing a lot of homework and studying the whole time, plus trying to stay healthy since the weather around my place is going wacko. (Note: Still unedited, sorry)

Anyway, I present to you, Turnabout Destinies – Courtroom, Part 1

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies** (Not my game, but my idea. Steal it, you die. Go ahead and make references, but please give me credit at least.)

**Tenth Turnabout**

Courtroom – Defendant Lobby

June 7 7:25 pm

"Good evening, Dr. Steelbird. It's nice to finally meet you personally." Edgeworth bowed to his beautiful client.

"My name is Apollo Justice, and this is Mr. Miles Edgeworth." Apollo spoke, blushing at her beauty.

"Good evening, Mr. Justice, Mr. Edgeworth... Please call me Lanette." a beautiful dark haired, silver eyed, white skinned woman bowed in return.

"Mr. Justice and I will be standing at your defense tonight. Apparently, Mr. Wright couldn't attend the trial due to unfortunate circumstances." Edgeworth said.

"I see... But..." she had a sad look in your eyes, seeing the case was nearly hopeless.

"We're going to prove your innocence today Ms. Steelbird! You're innocent, right?" Apollo puffed out nervously.

"Yes. Yes I am. I would never kill anyone!" her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Tell me something Lanette..." Edgeworth began.

"?"

"Describe your relationship with Mrs. Cecile." He remembered the horrid old woman.

"She's... my stepmother. She married my father ten years ago when my mother died too. She's like a real mother to me! I love her. She's the mother I never had... I know she's not going to just watch me get jailed! I just know!" she said with deep emotion.

Apollo looked at her empathetically. He knew the truth about Cecile recently.

"But Lanette!..." Apollo protested.

"It's time Justice. We should go." Edgeworth saw the signal given by the bailiff.

"Don't worry Lanette, you'll be okay!" Apollo assured her as they went their separate ways.

District Courthouse – Courtroom no. 3

June 7 7:30 pm

"The trial session is beginning for Dr. Lanette Steelbird, accused of the serial murder." The judge's brother stated.

"The defense is ready, your honor." Edgeworth said.

"I see there are two defense attorneys for this trial, after all, this is a big case. But the prosecution..." the judge turned to the prosecution box, where he saw only Klavier Gavin.

"Oh your honor, we are a two-man team as well. Any minute now." Klavier snapped his fingers to a rhythm.

"I wonder who'll be the other prosecutor, now that you're on defense, Mr. Edgeworth..." Apollo turned to him.

"Hmph." Edgeworth smiled.

*wha-pack!*

Franziska von Karma fiercely whips the prosecution box as she stepped in with her usual royal air.

"Klavier Gavin, you probably mean, two-person team. I am not a man after all." She smugly said.

"Yes, yes fraulein, now let's get down to business shall we?" Klavier said.

"Right. The prosecution may now give their opening statement." The judge nodded.

"Let's take this case by case now. There are a total of six murders in five places and circumstances. The first victim, Atty. Castor Jones was murdered in his office, death by stabbing. The murder weapon is a fruit knife belonging to the defendant. This knife is covered with her fingerprints." Franziska started.

"We shall call a witness to the stand to shed more light on the details of the murder. Ms. Ema Skye, please take the stand." She said.

"Name, and occupation, fraulein detective." Klavier smiled.

"Ema Skye, detective, Criminal Affairs department." She said without delay.

"Please give us your testimony of this event, with all the important details." Klavier asked.

"Alright."

-The First Crime-

"The crime happened at the Jones Law Offices after Dr. Steelbird's office hours. He was stabbed on the abdomen and heart."

"The murder weapon was a fruit knife bearing the defendant's fingerprints, and there was blood on that knife too which indeed, belonged to the victim."

"There were no witnesses, but this knife and the time of murder are solid evidences that Dr. Steelbird did the deed."

O-o-O

"I'm not convinced one bit." Edgeworth said blandly.

"Of course not. Let's sort this all out." Apollo said.

"Very well, the defense may begin their cross examination." The judge motioned to them.

-Cross Examination-

"_The crime happened at the Jones Law Offices after Dr. Steelbird's office hours. He was stabbed on the abdomen and heart."_

"Hold it!" Apollo pressed.

"What time is 'after office hours'?" Apollo asked.

"About 7 pm. The time of death was estimated to be about that time or after." Ema replied.

"Is it certain that it was Dr. Steelbird who went there?" he asked.

"No one else could have, given the circumstances, and the rest of the evidence."

"_The murder weapon was a fruit knife bearing the defendant's fingerprints, and there was blood on that knife too which indeed, belonged to the victim."_

"Hold it!" Apollo pressed again.

"There's something wrong with this knife." He said.

"What would that be, Herr Forehead?" Klavier asked.

"Yes? Don't go talking without proof, fool." Franziska snapped her whip.

"Please! I'm still going to say something!" he became nervous.

"Don't mind them. Say it Justice." Edgeworth said, cool and collected.

"Anyone could have used that knife, heck, even I could!" Apollo said.

"...................."

"What is the meaning of this, Apollo Justice?" Franziska asked.

"What if it was someone else who came into the office and used this weapon, but used gloves so that he wouldn't leave any prints!"

"What proof do you have for that?" Franziska argued.

"... It's possible!" he said in return.

"Possible just doesn't cut, Herr Forehead." Klavier said.

"Think Justice. You know there's something wrong with that knife. It's visible." Edgeworth said.

"What could that possible be Mr. Edgeworth? Visible?" Apollo asked.

"Yes. Visible on the knife indeed. Check the court record." He suggested.

Apollo examined the knife on all angles.

"This line of questioning is useless, your honor. We should just proceed to the next case." Franziska said.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said loudly.

"The defense has proof of this possibility." Edgeworth smiled.

"Let's see it then." Klavier hit his fist on the wall behind him.

Edgeworth nodded at Apollo.

"Uh... Uhm..." Apollo took one more look at the knife.

"Objection! The wrong thing about this knife is..." Apollo started.

"... the position of the fingers on the knife!" he showed the court the position of the fingers on the knife.

"What's wrong with that Mr. Justice?" The judge asked.

"When one stabs a person, how does one normally hold a knife?" Apollo began.

"Why, by the hilt of course, holding it either upward or by the hilt, and the blade is at the bottom..." Franziska answered.

"Right." Apollo nodded.

"Now see here on the hilt of this knife." He showed the court.

"... You don't say!" Klavier was surprised.

"Yes I do." Apollo smirked.

"The knife is held not as if it was used to stab, rather, used to slice up a dish, or cake. The knife was held with the hand over the hilt, then held sideways." Edgeworth explained.

"But... what about the blood on that knife?!" Franziska objected.

"The possibility Mr. Justice has raised can explain that." Edgeworth responded.

"Explain it once again, Herr Forehead." Klavier requested.

"After office hours, a third person had this knife. He went over to Mr. Jones's office and murdered him there. This person was of course, wearing gloves, so he didn't change the prints on the knife. The prints on the knife were left hard and clearly too because of the force exerted on it by Dr. Steelbird when she probably used it to cut up a hard fruit recently, so the gloves weren't able to wipe the prints off." Apollo explained.

"How can this third person obtain that knife anyway Apollo Justice? How?" Franziska objected again.

"... Someone must have planned to frame Dr. Steelbird all along, after all they knew which evidences to plant to direct the case to her!"

"Who is this 'someone' you speak of, Herr Forehead? Can you prove this person's even connected to this case?" Klavier asked.

_I know who could have done it! But can I prove it? Can I really connect that person to this case?_

Edgeworth looked at him as if he had the answers.

"The defense has a suspect and we can prove our claim as well." Edgeworth said, which made Apollo panic.

"Oh really? This will be a good one." Franziska grinned, wagging her finger.

"Mr. Edgeworth!! Can we really do that?!" Apollo said, sweating bullets.

"I gave you the push. You just have to swim the rest of the way. The answer is already in front of you Justice." Edgeworth smiled.

_Oh boy, Mr. Edgeworth isn't any much different from Mr. Wright when Mr. Wright helped me on my first trial..._ Apollo sighed nervously.

"We don't have the exact suspect yet, but then we have an explanation as to how this third person obtained the knife used to kill the victim." Apollo said.

"Explanation? Let's hear it." Klavier said.

"The knife was given to the killer by someone. This someone had to have access to the defendant's belongings, even more, a household belonging." Apollo continued.

"What are you driving at Apollo Justice? You're adding more mysteries to the heap!" Franziska commented.

"This 'someone' I've been talking about since earlier, the same 'someone' who wanted to frame Dr. Steelbird was someone who had access to evidence pointing to her, her home belongings. That would be her only relative and the only person living with her in her home..."

_Dr. Steelbird, hang on tight, we're going to save you no matter what_. Apollo paused.

"The defense requests to summon another witness to the stand!" Apollo stretched out his finger.

"Name this witness Mr. Justice, and this better be good." The judge asked.

"Mrs. Cecile Stellbird"

"The defendant's stepmother?! How could she be an accomplice?" The judge was awestruck.

"... That woman..." Franziska was nervous.

"We have no objections, your honor." Klavier replied.

"Wait! That's my mother you're talking about! She'll never dare to do anything that could hurt me!" Lanette took the stand to defend her stepmother.

"Dr. Steelbird, everything will be over soon. You will be proven innocent." Edgeworth said to her.

"No! My mother had nothing to do with this... If you're going to harm her, I'd rather admit to these crimes!"

"Fraulein doctor... Are you admitting your guilt?" Klavier asked.

"...Yes. Just don't hurt her." Her eyes shimmered in sadness.

"Objection!" Franziska said.

"The prosecution is objecting?" the judge was surprised.

"Let's listen to Mrs. Steelbird's side of the story. It is as the defense explained. Maybe we can find new facts to this case." Franziska crossed her arms as Edgeworth eyed her, smiling from across the courtroom.

"... I second the motion, your honor." Klavier said.

"No! I already admit to these crimes! Don't say any more!" Lanette protested.

"Please go back to your place, Dr. Steelbird." The judge called the bailiff.

Mrs. Cecile Steelbird took the stand.

"Name and occupation please, Madame." Klavier asked.

"Oh... You're a charming young man, son." Her sweet old lady attitude was sugar-coating her deep hatred, remembering he was the man who diverted her shot and hit her unconscious.

"Thank you. Now, please state your name and occupation for the record."

"I am Mrs. Cecile Steelbird, I am nothing but a simple housewife and mother. I like to cook and collect figurines, my likes are sweets, dolls and music.. and..."

"Mrs. Steelbird, pardon my intrusion, but you're here because you were called by that man in the red vest over there.

"I see. So, young man, what can I do for you?" her eyes darted to him quickly, which sent a subtle chill down Apollo's spine.

"Uh... Um.... Please describe to us your relationship with the defendant and your stand on this crime." Apollo asked.

"Alright then." She smiled.

-Lanette and the Crime-

"Lanette is my stepdaughter. She's such a darling, I can't believe she'd even hurt a fly!"

"But then a couple of things from the house went missing. I was surprised later when they turned out to be murder weapons in a number of killings! I was terrified!"

"It's a shame, but according to the evidence, the killer will have to be her, and no one else!"

O-o-O

Did you just hear all that Lanette? Your beloved stepmother is also accusing you! Apollo thought.

-Cross Examination-

"_Lanette is my stepdaughter. She's such a darling, I can't believe she'd even hurt a fly!"_

"Hold it!" Edgeworth pressed.

"I've heard that you have been her stepmother since ten years ago. That was also the same year her real mother died, right?" Edgeworth asked.

"Yes. Her father was depressed from the death of his first wife, and he saw Lanettie's need of a mother, so I did the favour of marrying him." She replied.

"Favor?"

"Of course, we loved each other and I became close to Lanettie."

"But then a couple of things from the house went missing. I was surprised later when they turned out to be murder weapons in a number of killings! I was terrified!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth cried.

"Mrs. Steelbird... How did you know these 'couple of things' were used as murder weapons? The police did not publicly disclose the murder weapons to the public, just the methods of murder." Edgeworth wagged his finger.

"... urk."

"Well?"

"I didn't know they were used as murder weapons... I mean, I haven't even seen them!"

"But you just said it yourself... A couple of things went missing from the house recently. You must have noticed these household items, and you knew Lanette usually used these household items!" Apollo argued.

"Only you could have given these to the real killer!"

"Then who is this real killer eh? Do you even have proof to your claims? Lanette did it! No one else could've! After all that fruit knife, bat, lighter and pistol did belong to her!!" she began to lose her cool.

"It seems you know a lot more of this case than we do." Edgeworth pointed out.

"You know all of the murder weapons to all the cases? You do know what things are missing, and you do know that Lanette owns them all! Explain yourself Mrs. Steelbird!" Apollo stretched out his pointer finger.

People began to murmur around.

"Order! Order in the court!" The judge repeatedly banged his gavel.

"............... I'm NO KILLER! She DID it!! Stop looking at me that way!! It's all HER FAULT!" Mrs. Steelbird screamed.

"You know the murder weapons, you know who would use these items, you could have planted these evidences, it's too impossible that this was all Lanette's idea if she did commit the murder. After all, you were aware of the murders yourself." Edgeworth said.

"......... Ugh..." she collapsed.

"Mom!!!" Lanette cried.

O-o-O

""It seems that this case had taken another turn. As for Mrs. Steelbird's revelations, she knew about the crimes and the murder weapons... The possibility Mr. Justice has raised is possible not only for the murder of Mr. Jones, but also for the other victims."

"But one thing remains unclear." Klavier argued.

"This 'killer' the defense had brought up... There is no suspect." Franziska mentioned.

"Objection!" Edgeworth cried.

"We're going to find out about that soon, when we're going to talk about the next case." He said.

"You mean the murder of Mr. Fred Derby?" Klavier asked.

"No... The attempted murder of Phoenix Wright, Franziska von Karma, and myself." Edgeworth had finally decided to speed up the trial and clear everything with this last incident.

Upon hearing about this attempted murder case, noise had once again swept the courtroom.

_What is up with this case?_

_The lawyers of this case have been victimized too?_

_Oh no, we might get killed too! We are the jury!_

"Order! Ordeeeeer!"

"It appears that we will reconvene court after a recess. We will discuss your case after then."

The judge hit his gavel.

**to be continued**

Ah... This story is almost ending. xD It's been such a long journey and I've been working hard to update this. I hope you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed making it! I'll be updating much later too though. :(

Drop a review please!! Thank you!

-drops of jelly


	11. Last Defense

Midterms and Finals are finally over! It's actually my semestral break, so I get to breathe! Yes!

Btw! I made a special picture dedicated to this pairing! Go ahead if you want to see it. I'd love comments too! (Well, it may not be all-too good a piece though, I've not much confidence in my photo editing skills. xD)

ht t p : / / k i t s u n e y a m i k a g e . d e v i a n t a r t . c o m / a r t / M i l e s - a n d - F r a n z i s k a - 1 2 8 2 1 7 0 8 6

just take out the spaces in between xD

I present to you, Turnabout Destinies – Courtroom, Part 2

-drops of jelly

**Standard Disclaimer Applies** (Not my game, but my idea. Steal it, you die. Go ahead and make references, but please give me credit at least.)

**Eleventh Turnabout**

Courtroom – Defendant Lobby

June 7 8: 45 pm

"... Mother... She wouldn't... How could you ever think that she'd hurt me?" Lanette sobbed quietly, whispering every word.

"Some things aren't what they seem, Lanette. I'm sorry. We're here to do nothing but uncover the truth after all." Apollo explained.

"The truth... But it'll hurt mom."

"Sometimes, the truth does hurt a lot of people... But we all become free once it sees the light of day." Edgeworth said poetically.

"I can't believe all this... Why would she want to hurt me?" she pondered.

_Motive. It's all clear on our ace, Mr. Edgeworth's phone. But since it's not official evidence, I have to wait for the right time._ Apollo glanced briefly at Miles.

"Do you know a man named Stephen Fergusson?" Miles looked seriously at Dr. Steelbird.

"... That man... Yes, a long time ago." She snapped out of her sobbing.

"He illegally sold body organs, until you and your company put it all to a stop, I heard. That was brave of all of you." Edgeworth said.

"Thank you... Everyone... Castor, Fred, Jess, Kyle, Marie and Jack, they really gave me their support in bringing that horrid man to justice." She reminisced, then a look of shock came across her face.

"...! They're all... the victims of this serial killing... aren't they?!" she turned to him quickly.

"Yes. They are." Edgeworth nodded.

"Then... Me, as a suspect? It doesn't fit at all... Could someone really be framing me?"

"We raised that possibility a while ago Lanette." Apollo said.

"But you're accusing my mother... What reason could she ever have to do this to me? She knew my struggle against Mr. Fergusson!"

_Should I show her this evidence? No... Maybe she wouldn't let me show it to court._ Apollo thought.

"Only Mr. Fergusson would think of framing me like this... And he's been behind bars all these years until now!"

"But Lanette... What if he found a way to escape? And hid himself all too perfectly, and plotted this all along?" Edgeworth said.

"... No... No way!" there was fear in her eyes.

"Try to think about it, and loosen up a little. You'll be okay... somehow." Apollo smiled his best.

"... Thank you... And, here, you two must be thirsty. I got some fruit juice." She handed the two of them a paper cup each of orange and pineapple juice.

"Thanks Lanette!" Apollo and Edgeworth drank the whole cup.

"Pardon my intrusion, Dr. Steelbird, but I have to talk to Miles Edgeworth. It's urgent." Franziska briskly walked into the defendant lobby.

"Hey! Ms. Von Karma, this is the defendant lobby!" Apollo was surprised.

"Hah, only a foolishly foolish fool would care about petty rules when the world is about to end!" she fiercely whipped him hard on the arm.

"OW!"

Lanette was surprised, and Apollo was cringing in pain as Franziska dragged the prosecutor-now-defense-attorney out of the room.

***

"Phoenix Wright is by the jury box, and he needs to speak to you. But before that, I have to ask you something." Franziska lowered her voice as she led Miles into a small, dim lit room by the hall.

"How can I help you, Franziska?"

"How are you going to acquit her of all these crimes in this single night?!"

"These crimes are all connected. They're bound by a patterned thread. Once you unravel the knots on the first, the rest unravels off as easily by itself."

"What do you mean Miles Edgeworth?"

"It's a simple miscalculation on the part of the criminals. The knife, the gap of the footsteps we discovered in the crime scenes, the altered crime scene in the hotel, the lighter, bat and gun... All these gave the real criminal away. There was no way a person like Dr. Steelbird could have done all this." He smirked confidently.

"Then prove it in court. Win this case, although I'd hate you to beat me again." She pouted frustrated.

"I guess... I do beat you every time, don't I?" he couldn't help but switch on his sister-complex and tease her a little bit.

"Don't push it Miles Edgeworth." She whipped him, even if the room was almost as small as a closet and there was a shortage of whipping room.

"We're going to uncover the truth once and for all... And I'll never... ever make you go through something like that again... that terrible experience... I'm sorry." he remembered the kidnapping, his eyes softened as he held her shoulders tightly.

"... You didn't leave me alone. You kept your promise. You have no need to apologize." She turned her head away, her cheeks burning and growing crimson and hardened her voice.

"You're... not using a cane anymore." He smiled.

"Of course! What do you take me for, a helpless fool? Not in a million years." She scoffed.

"Can't you let me take care of you anymore?" he smiled half-sadly.

"... When did you really do that? It was too long ago. We're not kids anymore."

"Of course. We aren't." He loosened his grip on her shoulders, then placed his hands down.

"... Ich liebe dich." She bowed her head in embarrassment.

With that, Miles tilted her head upwards with his finger and neared his lips to hers, looking into her grey eyes, and when he gently touched his lips onto hers, he closed his eyes.

Her cheeks, still burning, she returned his affection as gently and timidly, tenderly embracing him.

"Don't cry... I won't let anything harm you again." His eyes softened even more.

She wiped the tears on her face... The same tears that she deemed pathetic and improper for a perfect von Karma.

"That'll be the only good luck charm that'll make me win this case." He smiled.

"Recess is almost over. Run. Find Phoenix Wright." She recovered into her serious state.

"Right." Then he briskly walked the halls and into the jury box to find a man in a blue suit... wearing a face mask and a few casts, err bandages.

"I'll get straight to the point. *sniffle* Apollo had the decisive evidence all this time." Phoenix said, his eyes looking as distant as before.

"Nnghh... What decisive evidence?!" Edgeworth grumbled.

"Do you remember the night you were captured? You lost your phone that night too, didn't you?... achoo!"

"My phone was lost because the kidnappers took it, I had no way of recovering it." Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"What if they didn't take it? *cough* What if you just dropped it?" Phoenix smiled confidently.

"Then, that means!" Edgeworth started to realize what Phoenix was talking about.

"Yes. You put the recorder on didn't you? And it recorded more than enough for you to win this."

"And, Justice couldn't show the phone to court because he didn't submit it to the Chief of Police..." Edgeworth placed his index finger at the side of his head.

"You need to prepare the stage for that evidence. *sniffle* Get Fergusson on the stand and tie him to the murders and Mrs. Steelbird." Phoenix stated the obvious.

"As if I didn't think about that too, Wright." Edgeworth smiled.

"That's the court bell, I'd better go." Edgeworth said.

"One more thing. This will help you." Phoenix handed him another set of phones.

"This is..." Edgeworth found the phone of one of Fergusson's henchmen, which Phoenix used at one point where Fergusson spoke to him through a voice

"Go get them Edgeworth. I'll be watching this trial." Phoenix smiled.

"Don't be crazy... Rest up, or you can't see Iris this weekend." Edgeworth hurriedly teased him.

"H-h-hey!" he blushed.

"Oh, yeah, your voice sounds funny..." Edgeworth turned away smiling.

O-o-O

"Court will now reconvene for Dr. Lanette Steelbird." The blonde-beared judge said.

"As of now, Mrs. Cecile Steelbird is still unconscious, therefore she isn't able to make any further statements to the court." Klavier explained, snapping his fingers nonchalantly to a rhythm.

"Without a witness to cross examine, there is no case. Shall we continue to where we left off? We stopped at the events of the first murder didn't we?" the judge said.

"Hold it!" Edgeworth cried as the moment required.

"There is another witness the defense wishes to call to the stand." He continued.

"This better be related to the case at hand, and this time, you must produce real results." The judge stated his terms.

Franziska crossed her arms, and squeezed her sleeve with one of her hands.

"Without any further delay, we call a man arrested just yesterday, Stephen Fergusson." Edgeworth said.

O-o-O

"Name and occupation, sir, please." Klavier asked the tall, lean, yet deep set eyed man on the witness stand.

"Stephen Fergusson, convict." He said, annoyed, as if he was disturbed from what he was doing in his cell, whatever it was.

"Do you know what you are here for, Mr. Fergusson?" Klavier began.

"No, kid. You see, I'm supposed to be in my cell counting the drawings I made on the wall."

"These two gentlemen have some questions for you. I'm sure you have heard somehow about the case at hand today." Klavier said, snapping his fingers to a rhythm.

"Again, no. Sorry, but no idea whatsoever."

*vibrate*

_He's lying through his teeth!_ Apollo felt his bracelet's vibration.

"Then, you do know Ms. Lanette Steelbird, don't you? After all, she was the one who brought you to justice from your crime years ago." Edgeworth cast his steely eyes on Fergusson.

"Yeah, I know her but I haven't heard of her in years. What's it to you?" he asked, rudely.

"Oh, it means a lot to us Mr. Fergusson. Please testify to us about five years ago, that incident which had brought you to prison." Apollo prompted the man.

"Me being here better not be useless." Fergusson grunted.

- Five Years Ago –

"I was quite a successful businessman in the UG five years back, until Dr. Steelbird and her posse came and ruined the party."

"She and her people put me behind bars, up until today."

"I have nothing, totally nothing to do with whatever this case is. After all, I was behind bars the whole time."

O-o-O

"Time to pick out the lies and bring it out to light. Do the honors, will you Mr. Edgeworth?" Apollo smiled confidently.

"It's time we fight back." He replied.

-Five Years Ago-

"_I was quite a successful businessman in the UG five years back, until Dr. Steelbird and her posse came and ruined the party."_

"Hold it!"

"I received a report recently about your actions. You illegally marketed internal organs, am I wrong?" Edgeworth read the sheet of paper.

"You're right."

"Dr. Steelbird and the same victims in this serial killing were the ones responsible for bringing you to justice."

"And man, I sure am lucky someone cared to get revenge on them for me." He laughed.

_This seems not to be the right opening yet. I'll ask more questions about other things._ Edgeworth thought.

"_She and her people put me behind bars, up until today."_

"_I have nothing, totally nothing to do with whatever this case is. After all, I was behind bars the whole time."_

"Objection!" Edgeworth cried.

"You're quite wrong when you say you have nothing to do with the case at hand, in fact, you hardly could be considered innocent after all this evidence and witnesses against you for a certain recent crime." Edgeworth grinned.

"You can't prove I murdered those people!" he laughed.

"No, not yet, but I can prove your connection through testimonies, and evidence."

"What?..." Fergusson's face paled.

"In fact, it's quite clear. After all, this connection is the same reason why you were brought **back** to jail just recently." Edgeworth wagged his finger.

"What do you mean, Mr. Edgeworth, you are saying that this witness was not in jail until just recently? He had been imprisoned all these years for that crime he had committed five years back!" the judge's shock was visible.

"Yes, your honor. He escaped from jail quite some time ago and began these serial killings and began framing Dr. Steelbird for them." Edgeworth stated an 'assumption' to provoke the witness to speak.

"That's not true! You don't even have evidence to back it up! Haha." Fergusson laughed nervously.

"Who says we don't?" Apollo grinned, and presented Ema's report on the kidnapping issue to the court.

_**Kidnapping and Attempted Murder Incident June 5**_

_**Victims: Phoenix Wright, Miles Edgeworth, Franziska von Karma**_

_Phoenix Wright was tied to a chair awaiting his execution, until he found a way to escape._

_Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma were both captured and held in the house of a woman called, Mrs. Cecile Steelbird, who later attempted to murder them the morning after the kidnapping._

The judge scanned the report.

"Hah, what kind of evidence is that?! There's nothing in that report that can harm me! Just that lady stated there haha." He scoffed.

"Turn to the next page please, your honor." Edgeworth said.

_Phoenix Wright's method of escaping:_

_Slipped off the kidnapping setup by feigning death at the site. Two men brought him to Gourd Lake Park to be buried and used the opportunity to drive the men unconscious. He used one of the men's disguises to go back to the base and infiltrate it to investigate. He had a phone conversation with the mastermind in one of the henchmen's phone that he took._

_Phone Conversation:_

"_B5, six cases have been reported so far. Have you anything new to add_

"_Make that seven, sir. The attorney, Phoenix Wright died earlier and we have disposed of his body at the Gourd Lake Park." _

"_That attorney, eh… Yes. Let me see his corpse tomorrow. You will take me to where you have disposed of him. He was quite a thorn on my side ever since he took on Dr. Steelbird's case…"_

"_Yes, sir." _

_The next day Wright met with the mastermind and captured him and had him arrested. This man was later identified as _**Stephen Fergusson**_, an inmate who had escaped this year._

"............ So this man is..." the judge turned to the witness.

"What... So you're saying that Mrs. Cecile Steelbird was my accomplice too? And I used her house to keep my hostages unseen?! I don't even know that woman! She can go to jail herself for all I care!"

"It clearly states on this legal report, and we have witnesses on this story too!" Apollo pointed his finger at the witness.

"I have the phone in question as well." Edgeworth added.

"Objection!" Klavier cried, and hit the wall behind him with his fist.

"You might have forgotten, Herr Justice, Herr Edgeworth, but the one on trial here is Dr. Steelbird, not the witness. We have strayed too far from the topic, and we still haven't found any results." He continued.

"This will eventually lead us to the core of what really happened!" Apollo argued.

*wha-pack*

"So what if Stephen Fergusson kidnapped us? What does it prove? We are trying to find out who really killed those professionals, fool!" Franziska whipped.

"First, it proves the possibility Fergusson and Mrs. Steelbird are accomplices in the kidnapping. Second, Fergusson states the motives for his actions- kidnapping Wright because he took the defense of Dr. Steelbird, and stating how Dr. Steelbird had always been 'a thorn on his side'.

What else can you assume from all of these evidences? Why else would he take kidnapping Dr. Steelbird's defense attorney as a precaution?

This report contradicts everything as we know it now!" Edgeworth stated.

"I will state all of the contradictions so far, then:

-Stephen Fergusson's time in jail

-His uninvolvement with the case at hand

"Explain these issues and their connection to this trial!" Franziska cracked her whip.

"Very well." Edgeworth nodded.

"According to Ema Skye's report, validated by the police, Fergusson had escaped from jail early this year, thus making his claim of being in prison the whole time, and his claim of knowing nothing of the case at hand invalid."

"Second, this recorded phone conversation stated his motives for the kidnapping directly linked to the defendant, and the voice of the phone was confirmed by Phoenix Wright, to have belonged to Fergusson." Edgeworth said.

"Your whole point is?" Franziska eyed him

"Fergusson is the mastermind of the kidnapping incident intended to destroy Dr. Steelbird's hopes of an acquittal for her charges of murder for those professionals. According to these actions, the real killer would be no one else but him! To top that off, he has a motive and an accomplice!" he replied calmly.

"And this accomplice is Mrs. Cecile Steelbird, the defendant's stepmother?" the judge asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"You are all fond of walking on thin ice, aren't you, Herr Forehead, Herr Edgeworth?" Let's see some proof that Mr. Fergusson and Mrs. Steelbird are accomplices in this kidnapping and murder!" Klavier pointed his finger to them.

"I'll gladly show you proof." Apollo smirked.

"Preposterous!" Franziska lashed.

"Which one will you present first? Proof that they were accomplices in the kidnapping, or proof that they are accomplices in serial murder?" Klavier asked.

"Proof that they are accomplices in both." Apollo said, as he eyed Edgeworth who knew exactly what he was going to present.

The prosecution was silenced.

_Finally, the time has come for this evidence to see light!_ Apollo thought.

The whole room was in a nervous silence, each individual trembling as the truth neared.

_**Take that!**_

Apollo presented Miles Edgeworth's cell phone.

"There is a recorded conversation in this cellphone that took place in the evening of June 5, the time when I was abducted." Edgeworth explained.

"I was in a basement trying to rescue, Ms. Von Karma from the mastermind and maybe find out who he is, until I was seized by some men and fell into consciousness from the scent of ether on the handkerchief they let me inhale. However, the recorder on my phone was on, and auto-saved the conversation that took place then." He continued.

Then, he switched the phone on and played the recorded conversation, skipping to the part the dialogue started.

"_That'll teach that boy to mess with me. Let's dispose of this guy, that other prosecutor and that attorney at my house."_

"_Madame Cecile,... your house? That might throw some suspicion on you."_

"_Nah, they'll suspect that wretched Dr. Steelbird as always. If not for her being alive and free, I would have had all that inheritance to myself."_

"_I'll let the boss know about their deaths and who handled it."_

"_You don't need to tell him they're in my house. I want it to be a surprise for him. A perfect close to a perfect chain of murders. Heck, I never cared about those victims. I just want Lanette out of my way." She laughed._

"_Yes, 'maam."_

*beep*

The whole court was shocked, and silent until a woman's scream broke the silence.

"THAT CONVERSATION IS A FAKE! A HOAX! I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT! YOU'RE ALL TRYING TO PIN ME ON THE MURDERS!

WELL, TOO BAD IT AIN'T THAT EASY, AFTER I WASN'T ALONE IN ALL THIS, IT'S FERGUSSON'S FAULT AND IDEA TOO!!!!!!"

Mrs. Cecile Steelbird screamed just as she had arrived in the courtroom rushing.

The entire courts eyes shifted to her.

"And... that is all, your honor." Edgeworth bowed.

Noise filled the room entirely. The judge's warnings fell on deaf ears and he simply called for a recess.

Courtroom – Defendant Lobby

June 7 – 10:12 pm

"Mr. Edgeworth... What do we do?! She's still in shock..." Apollo looked at Dr. Steelbird with eyes full of concern.

"She can't take the weight of her stepmother betraying her. We'll have to give her some space." He replied.

"You both did good. *cough*" Phoenix Wright came in the room smiling.

"Thanks to you, Mr. Wright!" Apollo smiled back.

"You should have been the one up there, Wright." Edgeworth turned to him.

"No, seeing the turnabout to Dr. Steelbird's favour is enough for me. Thank you, Edgeworth. Achoo!" Phoenix said.

"Well, I guess it's time to clear up everything now." Apollo nodded to Edgeworth.

"Yeah.. Let's..." Edgeworth's last words sounded slurred as he collapsed onto the floor.

"Mr. Edgeworth!!!" Apollo exclaimed.

"Edgeworth! Get a hold of yourself! Hey! Don't faint on me! C'mon, the last act's about to start!" Phoenix tried to shake him awake.

"Somebody call a doctor!" Apollo looked around for Lanette.

"What's the matter in here?" Lanette briskly waltzed into the room with her stethoscope.

"Mr. Edgeworth has passed out!" Apollo explained.

Lanette examined Miles, then a crossed look came upon her face.

"He must have fainted from pain... Do you know what he had consumed over the last eight hours at least?" she turned to Apollo.

"Before coming to the trial, Franziska told me about how he stuffed himself up really fast, which was quite not normal for Edgeworth..." Phoenix said.

"And just during the last recess, you gave us some juice to drink. He got the pineapple." Apollo said as well.

"... Wait..." Lanette hurriedly tried to find that half-litre bottle of pineapple juice she brought.

Phoenix and Apollo tried to fan Edgeworth and laid him on the lobby couch.

"Shoot!!! Aghhh!" she looked at the juice bottle's expiry date – which was 3 days ago.

Phoenix and Apollo flinched at her sudden squeal.

"I'M SO SORRY!!! I'm so SORRRRY!" she kept bowing and bowing her head to apologize to an unconscious Mr. Edgeworth.

"Wha? What's going on doctor?" Phoenix asked with a stunned look on his face.

"... How unprofessional and clumsy of me... I'm supposed to relieve people of their pain... but I guess I have inflicted it upon someone this time..." she mumbled.

"What?" Apollo was shocked.

"The pineapple juice... expired three days ago... He has dyspepsia."

"................." Apollo and Phoenix fell silent.

"AGGGGHHHH!!! OMG I'm gonna faint Mr. Wright! I'm gonna faint and I can't finish the court proceedings! This trial will fall into a premature ending as well!! No!! I can't accept this! I..!" Apollo panicked, not conscious about his accelerating chords of steel.

"Snap out of it Apo- Achoo! –llo! You're not going to faint! ... Isn't that right, Dr. Steelbird?" Phoenix turned to Lanette.

"No... Mr. Justice will be fine.. The orange juice isn't expired." She sighed, but her look of anxiety hadn't diminished.

"Whew! Then... What about Mr. Edgeworth?" Apollo asked.

"He won't wake up for a while He must have been really dizzy and uncomfortable during the trial. He's pushed himself to the limit. Someone will have to take his place." She said.

"Oh boy..." Phoenix groaned.

"Are you ready, Mr. Wright? Are you sure you can take over? I don't exactly recommend it." Dr. Steelbird said.

"Better a lawyer with a cold than a lawyer who can't get up." He wheezed.

"Then, let's go back. That's the call now." Apollo turned to the door.

"Alright." Phoenix replied.

O-o-O

"I can't think of anything to say... This case has certainly taken an unexpected turn. Mrs. Steelbird had confessed to her crimes and explained how the serial murders were done." The judge said.

"It was quite odd, but Fergusson did all the killings using Dr. Steelbird's household items covered with her fingerprints, and even used her shoes to mark footprints around the crime scene." Ema Skye suddenly took the stand.

"Fraulein Detective?" Klavier smiled, not surprised suddenly seeing her there.

"Explain at once Ema Skye!" Franziska crossed her arms and clutched her puffy sleeve.

"Miss Kay Faraday submitted to me the full report, but it is better to hear from Miss Faraday herself." Ema stated.

***

"Please state your name and occupation." Franziska requested the witness.

"Kay Faraday, thief for the truth."

"Please give us an overview of the crimes that happened." Phoenix Wright entered the courtroom.

"Phoenix Wright?!" Franziska was shocked.

"Oh! It's you! Wh... What happened to the other one?.. Er, I mean, Mr. Edgeworth?" the judge asked.

"A... minor case of dyspepsia, your honor... But he is unconscious as of now. ACHOO!" He explained.

"Foolishly foolish fool! You Phoenix Wright are not well. Do you not have to rest at home? Or do you plan on spreading your virus?" Franziska whipped him over and over.

"ACK! *whip* Franzis- *whip* No! I came here *cough* *whip* to finish this!" Phoenix crouched in defense.

"Anyway, carry on with your testimony please, Ms. Faraday." Franziska cracked her whip before keeping it.

"Sure."

-Results of Investigation-

"_I went to investigate the crime scenes earlier during the day. Of course, the crime scenes were surrounded by the police 24/7, so I can guarantee you that nothing has been touched or altered."_

"_Just right after Mrs. Cecile Steelbird confessed to the court, I put her in questioning, and got many details from her. I confirmed my findings on the investigations to be true." _She smiled at Edgeworth, from whom she learned the interrogation techniques with evidence.

"_Castor Jones was stabbed in the abdomen and heart by a man who wore gloves, and used Dr. Steelbird's shoes to walk around. The fruit knife was taken by Mrs. Steelbird and the shoes were provided by her as well. It was her idea for him to use the shoes to pin the crime on Lanette, but then the distances of the footprints on the floor of the crime scene gave him away."_

"_The fruit knife, as proven by Mr. Justice earlier in the trial, was a plain contradiction, and I believe he had also explained how this knife was used. His assumptions on the weapon were entirely correct."_

"_Fred Derby, the second victim who died of electrocution, was found sitting dead at the edge of a bathtub in a hotel room. The evidence found was the same footprint in the first crime scene on the chest of the victim."_

"_However, the victim couldn't possibly have died of electrocution sitting there. He had protective gear on his body, except his head. He couldn't have died unless he fell into the tub, which was brimming with water."_

"_Hold it!"_ Phoenix cried.

"So, he must have died another way?" he asked her.

"Mr. Wright, you can figure it out. It's easy. Take a look at the evidence Mr. Edgeworth and I found this morning." Kay suggested.

"... These are pretty much the only sensible stuff not yet put to use..." Phoenix scanned the record.

_Take that!_ Phoenix presented the coil of wire and set of unidentified fingerprints to the court.

"Please do explain what you think, Herr Wright." Klavier snapped his fingers.

"The footprint, the tub full of water and these two pieces of evidence... If you connect them, what other story could you come up with?" he grinned smartly.

"...I see...!" Franziska gasped.

"Huh? What are you all talking about? Can you tell me if what I'm thinking is right?" Apollo said.

"_Mr. Derby was sitting at the edge of the tub. He musn't have noticed the tub was brimming with water since the privacy curtains of the tub were closed, and he left it that way. He continued to fix up the electric outlet, opening it."_

"_Then suddenly, Mr. Fergusson stormed in and kicked Mr. Derby into the tub, then cut up a wire and electrocuted him there."_

"Objection!" Franziska cried.

"Was it proven that he fell into the tub in the first place? Did Mrs. Steelbird also confirms this?" she asked sharply.

"Mrs. Steelbird did not say anything of the like, but the other evidence suggest this." Kay replied.

"So what if there's a piece of open wire and some prints? They could still be in that scene and prove nothing of that sort happened." Klavier said.

*bam*

The doors to the courtroom flew open suddenly, and in came Detective Gumshoe huffing and puffing.

"I c-came here at Mr. Edgeworth's request!!" Gumshoe gasped and gave the defense two pieces of evidence.

"A photo of a... and an affidavit from the bellboy of the Gatewater hotel... Now I get it." Apollo studied the evidence and looked at Phoenix who nodded in approval.

"We have evidence to prove Mr. Derby fell into the tub." Phoenix said.

"Please do enlighten us over this matter." The judge said.

"First, a photo taken this morning." Apollo presented the photo.

"A photo of... a mop?!" Franziska was shocked.

"Second, an affidavit which confirms two things- That he saw that the Mr. Derby's dead body was first discovered drenched in water, and that the mop was behind the bathroom door, recently used then." Apollo continued.

"If he did fall into a tub, he would of course be wet. If the tub was brimming with water, the bathroom floor would become wet, and if Fergusson wanted to alter the crime scene, mopping the floor would be part of the plan." Phoenix said.

"So, he set up the sitting position and the rest." Apollo finished.

"And by the way, the fingerprints on the mop matched the prints on the coil of wire. There's no doubt about it." Gumshoe said proudly.

"Miles Edgeworth... Grrr.. Always a step ahead..." Franziska banged her fists on the desk in surrender.

"_Dr. Jessica Fulton died of severe head trauma by use of a baseball bat. Mrs. Steelbird also confessed to planning that crime for Fergusson to execute, and we had Fergusson confirm it. The witness of the event, the security guard told a valuable truth of course. Prosecutor Gavin did the interviewing, didn't you, sir?"_ Kay turned to him.

"You're right. And I found no need to summon him today." He replied.

"So... He was not lying about seeing a man, not a woman? You believed him Klavier Gavin?" Franziska eyed him.

Klavier merely chuckled. His little suspicion that Dr. Steelbird was not responsible for Dr. Fulton's murder at least, was right.

"_The fourth crime was the death of Mr. Paschal, a businessman, by fire. The lighter belonged to Lanette. Mrs. Steelbird also stole this and provided Fergusson the means to kill this man."_

"_And the last, two doctors were murdered by a gunshot each to the heart. No other prints but Dr. Steelbird's were found on the gun, but Mrs. Steelbird also confessed to stealing the gun and giving it to Fergusson to use as well."_

Phoenix shuddered at the memory of seeing those two doctors before the end came for them.

"That's what my report basically states." Kay left the stand.

O-o-O

"This trial... has been the most complicated and longest one yet this year. We have come such a long way and drifted off so far from the original point. However, by all this drifting off, we have come to its ultimate conclusion." The judge said.

_Finally... it has ended..._ A look of relief was visible on both the prosecution and defense's side.

"For the crime of serial murder, The court finds Lanette Steelbird..."

NOT GUILTY

"A separate trial for Mr. Fergusson and Mrs. Steelbird will be held on another date. Court is now adjourned." The judge ended the trial.

O-o-O

"You did great out there Apollo." Phoenix smiled at the attorney who was slumped over on one of the defendant lobby couches.

"That was such an awesome, but stressful trial... We made it Mr. Wright!" Apollo smiled.

Franziska and Klavier entered the lobby as well.

"It's finally ended... Phoenix Wright." Franziska recalled everything that has happened during the past hours. Her heart was becoming heavy and she was about to break down into sobs, but she held them back forcefully.

"It's going to be okay now, Franziska." Phoenix gave her a pat on the shoulder and a warm smile.

"It was a good trial, Herr Wright." Klavier timidly said with a sad smile.

"Thanks for all the help, Klavier." Phoenix looked at him with respect.

"You're... welcome." He turned away. He still couldn't forgive himself entirely for what had happened years ago. He went to talk to Apollo.

Then, he found Dr. Steelbird at the door with someone familiar.

"Mr. Wright, Mr. Justice!" Lanette was genuinely happy to be found innocent. She ran over to them and gave them a light peck on each of their cheeks.

Apollo blushed heavily, and Phoenix blushed, and started blabbering words.

"Nick! Polly! You both were so cool out there!" the Master of the Kurain Channelling Technique greeted them cheerfully.

"Maya! You were watching the trial?! You didn't even tell me." Phoenix smiled.

"I sort of wanted it to be a surprise." Maya smiled back.

", thanks a lot for watching haha. Although I might not really deserve your praise. I had a lot of help from Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Wright!" Apollo recovered from his red state.

"Oh, don't be silly, Polly! You were good, and in a few more years, you'll be an ace attorney just like Nick! And remember I told you to just call me Maya? Ms. Fey is my sis, Mia." Maya laughed.

"Oh, right. Sorry Maya." Apollo corrected himself.

"By the way, where is Miles Edgeworth now?" Franziska asked Dr. Steelbird.

"He's at the Hickfield Clinic, resting. He still isn't well, I had a call from the doctor in charge." Lanette replied.

"So, the Fraulein Doctor had him sent there instead of keeping him here? Makes sense. After all, you were still on trial." He smiled charmingly.

"She isn't the type to skip on important commitments, Prosecutor Gavin." Ema Skye stepped in, saying the line as if she were trying to hit someone with those words.

They all laughed.

"Anyway, this calls for a celebration! Everyone to the burger joint!! This time, it's on..." Maya eyed Phoenix.

"I have seriously outgrown that prank Maya." He chuckled and thought of how much he had on him currently.

"Polly!" Maya laughed.

"WHAT?!" Apollo exclaimed.

"Thanks a lot Apollo! You're cool." Ema laughed and pat his back.

"I'm glad to be your friend after all, Herr forehead." Klavier laughed.

"Burgers are good once in a while." Franziska pulled out her whip.

"I haven't eaten a burger in a long time. Thank you, Mr. Justice!" Lanette smiled.

"Well, Apollo, don't you just fell like crying...?" Phoenix asked.

"**...OBJECTION!"** Apollo finished the sentence.

_THE END... Or is it?_

To be continued...

O-o-O-o-O

Whew!!! This chapter took a LOT of work and a LOT of time! I had to edit over and over again before publishing. I hope you enjoyed it. I know this chapter was a bit too lengthy and dragging, but it had closed all the story plots that had been opened,

Except for what happened next to the fan fiction's key pairing of course, which will be shown in the next, and final chapter of No Way Out.

Thank you very much for reading, and watch out for the next chapter, which will be coming... maybe later. I can't promise since I'll be extremely busy with school.

I'd love it if you'd drop a review!

-drops of jelly


	12. Last Offense

It's my semestral break, so I'm going to be able to finish this once and for all! LOL

**Standard Disclaimer Applies** (Not my game, but my idea. Steal it, you die. Go ahead and make references, but please give me credit at least.)

**Twelfth Turnabout**

Miles Edgeworth groaned a little as he fluttered his eyes open. He found himself on a hospital bed at a nearby clinic. The persistent stomach pains have subsided, yet he still felt a little nauseated and half-drowsy.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Edgeworth?" Lanette turned to him, seeing he had come to. She had just finished talking to the nurse managing his IV fluid.

"I'm okay now. How did the trial go?..." he asked wearily.

"Thanks to the three of you, I have obtained my acquittal." She smiled sweetly, yet a little sadness was in her expression.

"You're most welcome, doctor." He couldn't help but smile back, comfortingly. The truth had to set everyone free, after all.

"You can go home tomorrow, so get some rest, alright?"

"Yes, I'll get enough rest."

Lanette answered a knock on the door.

"I've brought dinner." Franziska entered his room.

"I see. Mr. Edgeworth must be famished by now. Thank you Ms. Von Karma. I'll be back later to check on you, Mr. Edgeworth." She exited the room.

Franziska pulled the bedside table in front of Miles then placed the packed dinner on it.

"Are you still moping about your nth loss against Phoenix Wright?" he smirked, looking at her.

"Quiet, Miles Edgeworth. Don't talk to me!" she snapped.

"I see." He leaned back on the bed.

"I'm... just happy that it's all over... That things are going to go back to normal." She sighed.

He gave her a good long stare.

"I love you." He told her.

"Don't say that so lightly." She shook it off.

"How dare you think of that as 'lightly'?" he neared his face closer to hers.

"... I'm.... I..." her cheeks grew hot.

"Are you scared?" he muttered as he leaned his forehead on hers.

"Scared of what?" she asked weakly.

"Scared of having me love you?"

"Fool."

"You're one of those... NBSBs aren't you?" he chuckled.

"Well, how DARE you?" she tried to grab her whip but his hands had stayed hers.

Before he could kiss her, a knock was heard, then the door opened.

"Oh, Ich bin traurig... I must have interrupted something." The young blonde prosecutor stretched out his long arm and placed his basked of fruits on the nearest side table.

He closed the door right after.

". . . Ugh." Franziska turned away blushing madly. Miles smiled to himself.

"_I told you so!"_

"_Well, sor—ry Fraulein Detective! I did not mean to exactly interrupt-"_

"_Shh! Enough, let's go back to the precinct. There's a lot of work to be done. I don't plan on having you missing for the next case!"_

"_Aye, 'maam. *Sigh*"_

"_Don't *sigh* me, you even have to replace my snackoos after eating my last batch in yesterday's concert!"_

"Those two never get along, do they, Miles Edgeworth?" Franziska heard their argument audibly from behind the door.

"They seem to hate each other's guts, but they have a generally healthy professional relationship, enough to keep each other alive." He was stressed, trying to find the right words.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, when you get discharged......" she gathered her belongings.

"Take care of yourself." She said, blushing.

He smiled. Rarely does she ever let those words out of her mouth, most especially towards him.

He didn't expect that she would kiss him, very much lovingly before she left.

"Goodbye." She whispered before she closed the door.

-Six Months Later-

"Still no call, no email? No text message from her?" Phoenix Wright sipped some coffee served to him at Edgeworth's office.

"No..." he answered apathetically.

"I don't understand... You told her your feelings right?" Phoenix stated the obvious.

"Where did you learn that from?" Miles got ticked off.

"Edgeworth, you still don't get how my mind works, do you?"

"Who does, Wright?"

"Anyway, I think she was confused inside. She wasn't ready." Phoenix looked into his coffee, realizing it was advantageously not as strong as Godot's blend.

"I know. I can't say I was as ready as I hoped to be either. I... am not good at relationships like that." He tidied up the cravat displayed by the window.

"And, you've been waiting for her all this time?" Phoenix turned to him.

"... Yes... And I've given myself some time off from her while she is gone." He looked out the window.

"She won't be gone long." Phoenix smiled.

"She's as stubborn as you know who, Wright. I won't expect too much." He smiled sadly.

"Alright. *chuckle* I'll see you in court. I'm going to watch Apollo's trial." Phoenix stood up.

_Won't expect too much eh?_ Phoenix smiled to himself.

"Okay." Edgeworth watched Phoenix leave.

Miles turned back to the window, watching the view of the city from his office.

He heard the knob turn.

"Did you forget something?" he asked, not turning back.

"Yes. Something very important."

Miles' heart sank, hearing that all-too familiar voice. He slowly turned to find the one he yearned for.

Franziska was smiling all-too sweetly.

"I guess I have no way out from these feelings, Miles Edgeworth." her voice shook in defeat.

Miles opened his arms to receive her. She ran towards him and leaped into his arms, and he happily kissed her.

"Ich liebe dich." He gently whispered to her ear.

THE END

O-o-O

It was short, but I hope you liked it! Thank you so much for reading this story, all the way to the end! It took about five months to complete this, and I finally did thanks to all of you, readers!

I'm currently working on another MilesxFran story, so watch out for it!!

-drops of jelly


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